Saved For You, Kuchiki
by Nathan J Xaxson
Summary: III of III. The destinies of Rukia, Ichigo, Nanao, Byakuya, and others will all converge at the Wedding from Hell. The epic saga drives to a mind-blowing conclusion that will leave you gasping for air - even Fate itself will intervene!
1. Confessions

**"Saved For You, Kuchiki"**  
_by_ Nathan J Xaxson  
_final tale in the Kuchiki Salvation Trilogy_

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Bleach or its characters.

**Rating:** T (15+) - language, emotional themes, sensuality

**Summary:** Rukia and Ichigo have tackled just about everything together - except, maybe, for Fate itself.

**Status:** Story is completely written. Updates should be released quickly. Sequel to "Save This for Kuchiki" and "Save Me, Kuchiki" - I suggest you read those first, otherwise you'll really miss out on some of the finer points of this tale.

**Author's notes: First of all, I would like to thank all of my readers and reviewers. The Kuchiki Salvation Trilogy has been a real success story: "Save This for Kuchiki" has been bookmarked as a favorite story over 120 times, and "Save Me, Kuchiki" has drawn over 300(!) fave bookmarks, not to mention all of the story alerts. Thanks so much for all the love, but reviews are best!**

Just to note, this story is much, much longer than the others, because it intends to wrap up all of the loose ends. Just about every major Bleach character will make an appearance, and there will be lots of pairings/interactions/exchanges that will be worth waiting for. There is a plenty of drama, romance, comedy, angst, and action for all; so stay tuned!

I've also decided to do something new this time: crossover omake! I'm excited. :)

Also, those of you who don't yet know, my avatar is a picture of Rukia after the first episode in the trilogy. You can check out my really awful photoshop skills in my profile; hopefully you'll like it, though.

_**Warning 1:**_ IchiRuki fans, you're in for a wild ride. IchiHime fans? Well, let's just say I'll humor you.

_**Warning 2:**_ Byakuya fans, you'll have a blast.

_Warning 3:_ Ukitake fans - _heh heh heh heh heh. _You don't want to miss this for the world.

**Special Thanks To: ** All of the reviewers and readers who have given me feedback, and fellow writers who wrote brilliant stories that served as inspiration for my own:  
18Rox, Alliryan, CalypsoHatesEveryone, dark waffle, DemeterChild, Dream Scene, Etiena, Fading into the background, fanatic99, Fusionmix, Independent100, jazzpha, Kainani, Lady Azar de Tameran, laughingspider, Lil' Monk, MRegent.2 and Pangie, NorthernShinigami, omaomae, Random Inspiration, redpandagirl, Roland Deschain Of Gilead, Scarbie, SeEmYaWeSoMeNeSs, Silver-Eyed-Rukia, TheLordOfPages1692, ToastWeaselofDOOM, uberjjk, Vivienne Grainger, Whitecloud1, X Senbonzakura X, Yuriski-1st, ZeeZee The Dreamer. Sorry if I missed anyone, please accept my apologies. I'm sure that many of these writers above will recognize how I've been inspired from their genius, I recommend my readers to see what these folks have to offer. .

Thanks for joining me on this epic adventure. I hope you enjoy reading it as much I enjoyed writing it!  
_-njx_

* * *

_  
"Hey, if death really isn't the end, then that may not have been the very first time we met. Maybe we've been linked together for a lot longer._

_"I can't say for sure, but I think that once a bond is formed, it never disappears. So even if we forget everything, we'll be joined together again someday."  
_

_~ Kurosaki Ichigo to Kuchiki Rukia;  
one of the last scenes in the third Bleach movie, "Fade to Black, I Call Your Name"_

***

Ichigo and Rukia stood under the moonlight just around the corner from Urahara Shoten. It had been an absolutely crazy week. Ichigo had temporarily lost his shinigami abilities, Urahara had been kidnapped and rescued, and nobody could figure out the name of that blasted 12th division captain. Everyone knew _who_ he was, just nobody could remember his _name_.

Nevertheless, the week was finally coming to a close. As was always the case on late Friday afternoons, it was time for them to say goodbye until Sunday evening when Rukia would return. This had been the basic schedule ever since she had been promoted to 13th division vice captain, and given the honorary title of Head Lieutenant now that she wore the official Kuchiki garb. Ichigo hated being away from her on the weekends - life felt devoid of color when she wasn't around - but it was infinitely better than when she had been gone for six straight weeks. Ichigo remembered how awful it was without her during her vice captain's training.

Rukia missed him on the weekends, too - but it was easier for her since she always had a lot to do back in Soul Society. She had to hand in her weekly reports, which tracked trends in hollow counts in the spiritually-concentrated Karakura. Since the routine duty for her division was hollow-hunting, she had to collect the activity reports of the seated officers so she could review them during the week. Outside the scope of her duties to the 13th division, she had other things that kept her busy. She usually practiced swordsmanship with Komamura-sensei; he always seemed to look forward to it. Rukia was also sure to see her brother Byakuya, since she knew he missed her even if he would never admit it. If she was lucky, she got a chance to catch a cup of tea with Momo-chan to shmooze a bit. So her weekends were usually packed enough to distract her.

Ichigo, on the other hand, was either bored or begrudgingly preoccupied. Friday nights were Ishida's job, and Saturday nights belonged to Chad; Ichigo's hollow-hunting scheduled resumed on Sunday night when Rukia returned. The idea was that Ichigo should spend time with his other friends, too - Keigo, Mizuiro, Tatsuki - although he confessed that of the three of them, he could really only stand to hang out with Tatsuki. Keigo was just too much of an imbecile, and Mizuiro was too busy chasing skirts. He really only hung out with them whenever Chad's band had a gig on Friday night, and Ichigo would often go to show his support. Chad's band was actually pretty good - it was the only activity on the weekends that kept his mind off of Rukia - but Ichigo always felt a little sad that she could never join him.

It wasn't uncommon for Ichigo to see a movie with Tatsuki and Orihime, even if it felt a bit weird seeing a movie with girls that weren't Rukia. Of course, she would only tolerate movies about fluffy bunnies; at least Tatsuki enjoyed action movies. If it had ninjas, samurais, marines, or giant robots, Ichigo could count on Tatsuki. Unfortunately, the movies this summer had been mostly terrible; so Ichigo spent most of his weekends being bored. He tried to make the best of it - he typically used the time to play soccer with Karin, and checkers with Yuzu - but when he wasn't helping his dad in the clinic, he just counted the minutes until she returned.

The threat of the mind-numbing wait for Rukia to come back always made him savor each moment that she was around. It also explained why he cherished this particular moment more than any other during the week. Before Rukia would return via Urahara's senkai gate, they would do their little "open-heart circle" ritual in a small park around the corner. Ichigo was very proud of the fact that he had come up with this little ceremony. He had absolutely no idea where he got it from - it had just popped into his head one day - but he knew immediately that he liked it. Both he and Rukia were very emotionally closed people by nature, and it had always been hard to articulate how they felt about each other.

At first, they were both afraid that the other would mock their feelings or thoughts, or get angry when the other brought up something that upset them; but after a while he had realized that if he could trust his life to Rukia every time they went to battle, he needed to trust his heart with her, too. That realization struck him so deep that it he instantaneously found it axiomatic. Thus, he found the courage to suggest this little activity, no matter how much it would have tarnished his rebel reputation. Rukia just did that to him, he guessed. Things that once seemed so important to him were just insignificant compared to her.

Looking into her eyes with a genuine smile, he reached for her hands; she took them, returning his tender gesture. It was a little game they played during this time of the week: who could hold out without saying something first. Usually, Ichigo won; holding hands for too long typically made Rukia a bit out-of-place - although since they had returned to the real world this week, she had been much more flirtatious and touchy-feely than she usually was. Perhaps it was that she had finally been able to say 'I love you', or maybe it was something else. Either way, Ichigo played the game and waited for her to crack - but it seemed like this week, she just might hold out.

He decided to break first, giving her the victory this time as a parting gift. "Hey, Beautiful."

"You know, sometimes I think you call me 'Midget' during the rest of the week so you can save that nickname for Fridays," she teased, her voice light-hearted and carefree. This was the only time of the week she talked to him like this. The rest of the week, she was all business - Rukia retained the serious nature of her Kuchiki aura. It didn't matter whether they were hanging around with Ishida and Orihime (who seemed to be spending more and more time together), or helping patients in the clinic; the family's long-time summer employment for the entire family. She was the reserved, subtle Kuchiki woman - except now, during their private moments every Friday; when Ichigo soaked in her voice, savoring its tenderness. He would float on the taste of its sound all weekend in her absence.

A frog was in his throat. He had been meaning to ask this for a long time - since even before the Winter War - but had never, ever had the courage. Even now, under the protection of their little ritual - where the rules enforced openness - he felt like he was treading on dangerous ground. After Rukia's sudden-but-subtle change in demeanor this week, though, Ichigo knew he better ask it now before things went completely topsy-turvy.

Rukia could tell he was going to ask her something really awkward. She squeezed his hands in approval. "It's okay, Ichigo, I promise." There was something about these sessions that made it so easy to throw away her guard and just be who she was. She loved that about him, no matter how crazy and/or bothersome he was sometimes.

"Okay, here goes," he chuckled nervously. There were hell butterflies in his stomach. "Sometimes I forget that you're really a lot older than I am, and that means that you've probably experienced many more things than I have. I mean, by now, you really know just about everything in my life since I was born. As much as I know you, though, I know that there are so many things about you that I _don't _know."

Rukia was listening patiently, a smile still on her face. Ichigo was grateful that she didn't interrupt.

"Rukia, I... um, how do I say this? ...I've never loved anyone before. I mean, I had a crush on Tatsuki when I was ten, but when I told her, she beat me up. That's about as far as it went." He sucked in a deep breath. It was time to get to the point. "I've never had my first kiss yet. But I'm only sixteen - I mean, you could have been in love a hundred years ago and I would never even know the difference."

Rukia squeezed his hands again to comfort him. "Ichigo, is this an age thing, or is this a boyfriend thing?" she asked genuinely, smile never leaving so as not to worry him.

Ichigo sighed heavily. "Maybe a bit of both. I mean, not to imply anything, but I know you grew up with Renji. It feels a bit weird not understanding what may have passed between you, you know?"

Rukia's smile grew wide and loving. She knew that any other time in the week, she would have smacked him. Not because he would have deserved it, but because she was so used to throwing up barriers for no good reason - but now, his warm hands and soft smile just melted the defense mechanism away.

"I understand, Ichigo. I had days when I wondered if you were thinking of Orihime instead of me," a comment which resulted in a somewhat surprised look on his face. She made a mental note of it. "Renji was a close childhood friend. During those first forty years, he was the only family I had back in Inazuri. He was like my brother. I know that at some point, he had a crush on me - in fact, he probably still does - but I could never see him that way. Nothing ever happened between us, the same way nothing ever happened between you and Tatsuki."

"Oh." Ichigo thought through what she said for a bit. "Was there... was there anybody else?"

Rukia blushed. Ichigo was a bit surprised - she rarely did that. "Well, I had a crush on Kaien-dono for over thirty years."

"Oh." Ichigo reminded himself that one of these sessions he was going to have to ask how old she was.

Rukia could see discomfort in his eyes. She spoke up hurriedly. "I-I-It was totally one-sided! I mean, he was married! And his wife, Miyako, was a _goddess_. The nicest, most beautiful, most amazing goddess. There was no way I meant anything to him. I mean, other than the fact that I was his subordinate officer."

Ichigo didn't appear convinced. Or if he was, he was feeling really insecure. She could tell by the lines on his face, and the faint squint of his eyes and curve of his brow. "Ichigo," she said softly, hoping her sincerity would chase away his anxiety. "I never really explained this to you, but hopefully it will comfort you."

She breathed deeply, never taking her eyes from him. "I used to be someone who always had my head in the past. Always dwelling on my mistakes, on the decisions I made, on the experiences that shaped me. But the day before I became a vice captain, it was almost as if I felt Kaien-dono in the air around me, telling me to stop looking in the past and start looking to the future. The future held my hopes and dreams, and I finally reached for them. That was when I had finally achieved bankai."

Ichigo definitely remembered that day. He had been wandering around the Sereitei for hours, wondering where the hell she was. Suddenly, the most enormous blast of reiatsu bearing her unique signature came crashing through Soul Society. It was such a tidal wave that he feared for her life - and he remembered how she folded her arms and huffed at him. _Idiot. Of course I'm okay,_ she had huffed at him. _I can take care of myself, you know._

"Kaien-dono was an incredibly important person in my life. He taught me what it meant to be a shinigami, but more importantly he taught me to believe in myself. Although we never had a romantic relationship, I know he must have loved me - the same way he loved everyone else in the division. He gave us what we never had - a place where we felt like we belonged."

Ichigo fidgeted. "You sound very... fond of him."

Rukia was frustrated with herself. She knew that this was not easy for Ichigo to digest, because she wasn't explaining herself well. (Further proof that these sessions were desperately needed, or otherwise their communication skills would have been worse than they already were.) "Of course I am. But Kaien-dono was someone who made me feel special a long time ago. Kaien-dono is in the past, and I now live for what lies ahead - the future that says I belong with _you_. And even if Kaien-dono were alive today, it wouldn't matter. I'm not the confused, naive girl who felt abandoned and isolated that I was back then. Now, I am Rukia: Princess of the Kuchiki House, adopted daughter of the Kurosaki Home, and devoted girlfriend of one Substitute Shinigami. And I wouldn't want it any other way."

He smiled. "You realized you just called yourself 'princess' and 'girlfriend' in the same sentence, right?"

"Whatever it takes to convince you, Strawberry. Don't make me do it again," she retorted. Reverting to her Friday-afternoon-ritual voice, she followed up to make sure he was okay. "Do you feel better?"

Ichigo seemed relieved but still hesitated a bit. "Was there anyone else I should know about?"

Rukia went into deep thought for a moment. "The only other thing I can think of isn't really worth mentioning, but since you asked, I guess I can tell you. When Nii-sama took me out of Shinou Academy, he didn't want me to become a shinigami, because it could be dangerous. He wanted to marry me off instead. Jii-sama, Kuchiki Ginrei, told him that it wasn't fair to me to do that, but I wanted to do anything to please Nii-sama back then; so I agreed to go on an arranged date. It was with a widower from the Banzo family. The fact that I am most definitely a shinigami should tell you how absolutely horrible that guy was."

Ichigo smiled, but it was obvious that he was still bothered by something. "So then... that means, eh, you're a, er...."

"A virgin?"

"Yeah," he answered sheepishly.

"Well, Ichigo, if I've never kissed a man, I certainly haven't slept with one," answering the other half of his question before he could ask. She could see the tension fade from his shoulders, and he finally began to relax. "Unless you count Kon and Chappy using our bodies, of course."

Ichigo started laughing out loud. "Well, for you, it was just a gigai; for me, it was actually my body. Does that make me a half-virgin? Is such a thing even possible?"

Rukia rolled her eyes at him, but couldn't resist laughing. "Anything else I can clarify?"

"Hmmmm.... 'never kissed a man', huh?"

Rukia glared at him, although it was hard to do while laughing. "No, no past relationships with women, either! You are such a teenage boy sometimes," she teased. It was so easy for her to forget that for him, the whole high school thing wasn't an act. She had her hormonal years over a century ago, although nothing ever came of it.

"Okay, okay; I'm sorry, with the way you answered the question, I figured I just had to ask. Chizuru can be persistent, you know." Rukia giggled at that comment. "Alright, I think you deserve a turn now, before I abuse my privileges here," Ichigo laughed.

Rukia turned shy and serious, gazing at the floor. "Ichigo, why aren't you mad at me for holding out on you?"

Ichigo rubbed the back of her hands with his thumbs. He knew she had more to say so he kept quiet.

"A couple of nights ago while out on patrol, I saw Ishida-kun at Inoue-san's house. I could feel Orihime-san healing him, so I stopped by to ask if everything was okay. He said it was nothing, just a cut that would have otherwise needed stitches. But on his way out, he gave Orihime a quick kiss goodbye. It was so nonchalant and casual that it was obvious they must kiss all the time." Rukia looked up at him again. "Aren't you mad that I'm not like that?"

Ichigo squeezed her hands and looked into her deep indigo pools with a tender, soft-hearted laugh. "Of course not," he reassured her. "Rukia, how could I be mad at you for something like that?"

Rukia looked away. "People who are in love still fight, Ichigo. We do it all the time. Maybe you're mad at me, or disappointed, or frustrated; but afraid to tell me. I mean, you're sixteen. I know that you've put up with me being a prude, but doesn't it irk you even a bit?"

"Rukia, I would never lie to you. Especially not now. I'm not going to tell you it isn't really hard at times - it is. But I respect you, and your need to keep things slow. In hindsight, it's helped me understand who you are, without letting lust distract me from appreciating everything about you. I just tell myself that if I love you, I know I can wait until you're ready. Besides," he laughed, "if anyone in my family caught us doing something, er, compromising - I think I would just want to die."

Rukia pulled him into a hug. She didn't do that often, and she was comforted by his scent. "Ichigo, I worry all the time that I'm never going to live up to your expectations."

He rubbed her back and ran his fingers through her hair. "C'mon, Beautiful. I stopped setting expectations when you kept exceeding them a long time ago."

"I love you, Kurosaki Ichigo."

"I love you too, Kuchiki Rukia."

***

They finally parted ways when Rukia joked that Captain Ukitake was going to send 3rd Seat Kotsubaki to come pry them apart with a crowbar. She waved goodbye as she rounded the corner, and Ichigo floated out of the little park, his whole body feeling encased in a whispy dream. He remembered once again why Friday afternoons were his favorite moment of the week.

He took his time walking home, replaying their open-heart circle through his mind thousands of times. He knew he was completely head-over-heels for her. There was just something about her smile - the real one that he rarely saw, the one that wasn't hidden behind a smirk - that made his whole life seem perfect.

He was about halfway home when a familiar set of shouji screens appeared in mid-air. The senkai gate opened, and to Ichigo's absolute shock, Kuchiki Byakuya was soon standing in front of him. _What the hell is going on?_ _Byakuya is here?_ Captains don't come to the real world unless there is a huge problem. Especially not _this_ captain.

"Kurosaki Ichigo," Byakuya said, greeting Ichigo in his usual manner. By now, Ichigo knew it was about as polite as Byakuya would get with him.

"Kuchiki Taicho," Ichigo acknowledged, almost slipping up and calling him by his first name in the familiar. Rukia had spent weeks pounding it into his skull that he really should speak to Nii-sama respectfully. Personally, Ichigo didn't care if he called the old fuddy-duddy by his first name, but out of respect to Rukia's wishes, he tried to be nice. "What are you doing here? It's pretty unusual for a captain of your stature to get sent out here," he snarked, knowing it would cost him.

The regal Kuchiki looked at him with a grim expression. "I am here to rid myself of Kurosaki Ichigo."

* * *

_Cue the sinister music. Extra __points for those of you that caught the "devoid of color" reference. __Reviews please! _Next chapter: Rain. -njx

* * *

_~~Crossover Cup!~~_

Today's special guest: Fuu-chan from Samurai Champloo!

_Fuu:_ C'mon, where do you get such sappy, helpless-romantic men from? I don't know _any_ guys like that.

_Nathan:_ Er, well... I'm a sappy, helpless romantic.

_Fuu:_ Yeah, but you're real! We're just fictional! Sappy helpless romantic men don't exist in our world!

_Nathan:_ Uh.....


	2. Rain

**Disclaimer: ** I do not own Bleach.

* * *

Ichigo reached for his badge immediately and knocked his shinigami form right out of his body. He was reaching for his sword when Byakuya spoke.

"Must you always be so brash, Kurosaki?" he sighed, his tone clearly more condescending than usual. "I didn't say I was here to kill you."

"Uh- wuh?"

Byakuya sighed. "You never cease to give me trouble. Do you have any idea what kind of consternation you've caused?"

"Byakuya, what the hell are you talking about?" Oops, damnit, I slipped. Rukia's gonna whack me hard for that one.

"Kurosaki, you and Rukia-san summoned a zotokai out of wedlock. Do you have any concept of the scandal you have thrown onto my desk?"

Ichigo had absolutely no idea what to say. He was completely dumbfounded. As far as he was concerned, this was amongst the top ten most _ridiculous_ conversations he ever could have had, and that included being subjugated Rukia's prattle about Chappy. "Um, _what_?"

"Must I repeat myself? Just this week, you and Rukia-san summoned a zotokai spirit - something that hasn't been done since the dawn of time - and now all of Sereitei is an uproar."

Ichigo was still floored. This was just absurd. People were making a big stink about _this_? "You have got to be kidding me."

Byakuya bristled at the idea that he would joke about anything this serious. "Rukia stays in your home during her assignments to the real world. If anyone from the Four Houses investigates any further than they already have, I will have a much bigger scandal to deal with. I will settle for this problem in its place."

The implication was clear, and Ichigo wouldn't stand for it. He looked at Byakuya with fierce, steady eyes. "I swear on my mother's grave that Rukia and I haven't done _anything_ to deserve such rumors. I haven't even kissed the woman." Not that I don't want to, he thought.

Byakuya paused as if history had punched him in the face. Kurosaki may be impulsive, but such an oath carried weight - especially to Byakuya. He subconsciously toned down his response, still pretending to be indifferent, but Ichigo could tell that Byakuya accepted Ichigo's claim. "I am not concerned with the mundane details of your relationship. The fact remains that I still have to deal with this political disaster that you caused."

"What if Rukia and I were married?" Ichigo proposed. "Wouldn't that make this go away?"

Byakuya was a bit surprised by this statement. This boy would _marry_ her? Really - was he _serious_? Yes, there was determination in the boy's eyes, that he could tell; but that didn't necessarily mean anything. Still, it was pointless. "What makes you think that I could marry the greatest princess in all of Sereitei to a commoner?"

Ichigo expected contempt, but didn't find it. It was almost as if Byakuya was humoring him. "What if I became 5th division captain? I have bankai; and besides, I defeated Aizen - I could take the position the same way Zaraki became captain of the 11th. I wouldn't even need to pass a test. Surely a captain in the Gotei 13 is an honorable enough position to marry into the Kuchiki family?"

Byakuya hesitated. This conversation was not going at all like he expected it to. He had expected the temperamental teenager to throw a teenager-sized temper tantrum, complete with petty threats and the obvious challenge to the death. The fact that this boy was trying to find a solution, however hopeless it was, was not something Kuchiki Byakuya ever would have expected.

He knew Kurosaki Ichigo was rash, but the boy was not the kind to lie about his feelings. He knew full well that Ichigo had professed his love for Rukia many times, but he had always assumed the boy was too young to understand the gravity of what that meant; that whatever love he had for her was actually superficial. For Ichigo to forgo his human life to become a captain, though, was something else entirely. Not even Kurosaki would make such a gesture lightly.

Regardless, he knew that Ichigo's proposal could never happen. "The Gotei 13 could never accept a living human as a captain in the Gotei 13. I am left with no other choice, Kurosaki. Soul Society's nobility is unforgiving. They will cover the Kuchiki name in shame and dishonor if zotokais are ever summoned again outside the domain of the Four Houses. The easiest way to prevent the disgrace of my clan is if you and Rukia never see each other again."

_"WHAT!?"_

"The solution is the only one I have: you will never step foot in the Sereitei again, and Rukia will never come into the living world."

Ichigo was fuming. He was so angry he didn't care if he offended the Kuchiki prince enough to get him killed. Ichigo grit his teeth so hard he thought they would grind to dust. "Hisana would have found another way," he spat, knowing full well that if Rukia ever caught wind of it she would personally rip his voicebox out.

He expected Byakuya to whip out his bankai on the spot and murder him in cold blood. But instead, a deep sadness spread across the captain's face, a genuine expression that Ichigo knew was exceedingly rare. Ichigo was shocked to see that the Kuchiki noble had let down his seemingly impenetrable facade.

Ichigo immediately felt a horrible guilt wash over him for a moment, but then it receded just as quickly. It was one thing to incite Byakuya, but Ichigo never thought he could _hurt_ him - after all, Ichigo had just invoked his own mother! This was not just some light-hearted discussion, this was his relationship with _Rukia_ that they were talking about. The Kuchiki Head of House should have expected Ichigo to invoke the memory of his late wife - Byakuya should have been too guarded for that to bother him. Ichigo's self-justification, though, promptly faded to confusion - _what was going on in that head of his?_ Byakuya doesn't let down his guard for _anyone._

Byakuya turned to hide his face. He was almost speechless - but not quite. "Do not mistake my responsibilities for my desires, Kurosaki Ichigo." He opened a senkai gate, and a single hell butterfly took him through it; leaving an open-mouthed Ichigo in a sudden downpour of rain.

* * *

_Sorry for the short chapter. Don't worry, more coming soon. Reviews, please! Next chapter: Kon to the rescue! Er, sort of. -njx_

_

* * *

~~_Crossover Cup!~~

Today's special guest: _Mugen_, from Samurai Champloo!

_Mugen:_ Man, that guy totally pisses me off. I'm gonna go kick his ass. Who does he think he is, anyway?

_Byakuya:_ 6th Division Captain, Kuchiki Byakuya. I have heard you are a worthy opponent. We shall see. _Bankai;_ Senbanzakura Kageyoshi.

_Mugen:_ WTF? _(break dances, spins around to try and create a whirl of air to sweep Senbanzakura away)_

_Byakuya:_ Hado #66, Soren Sokatsui.

_Mugen (still spinning):_ Oh, ----.

_Nathan:_ Er, Mugen? You alright over there? Mugen? Mugen!?


	3. Shakespeare

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Bleach.

_Some people messaged me about not knowing what a 'zotokai' was from the last chapter. If you haven't read the first two works in this trilogy, "Save This For Kuchiki" and "Save Me, Kuchiki", then you are totally going to miss out on some awesome goodness in this story. Take the time to read those other two - I wouldn't have written a trilogy if I didn't think people would enjoy my work, so I will humbly recommend them. Really, I think you'll love them. At least I hope, anyway. :) -njx_

* * *

"Oniichan! You made it just in time for dinner! How was dropping Rukia off at the train? Oh - you got stuck in the rain!"

Ichigo walked right past her and trudged up the stairs, not looking up from the floor. "I'm sorry, Yuzu. I'm not hungry today."

Karin, who normally had little tolerance for her brother's brooding, was concerned. "Ichi-nii, is everything okay? Did... something happen between you and Rukia?"

Ichigo felt like he could barely breathe. He was so depressed he wished his chest would just cave in. "No, but I don't really feel like talking right now."

Isshin put a hand on the twins' shoulders. "C'mon down when you're hungry, son. By the way, I put some mail for you on your desk."

Ichigo glomped up the stairs, throwing a hand up as if to acknowledge his father. After what must have been an eternity, he slumped down at the desk in his bedroom, not bothering to change out of his sopping wet clothes. If he was less manly, he would have been crying, but he was too sad to even do that.

The conversation with Byakuya had broken him. If it was out of Byakuya's hands, then there was likely little that Ichigo could do. Public relations was different than rescue operations. If Ichigo charged into Soul Society after her right now, he would only make matters worse. He had no idea what to do.

His eyes wandered over to the envelope on his desk. It was same-day mail, and he instantly recognized the address's loopy, curvy handwriting as Rukia's. Tearing open the envelope, he unfolded the letter, eager to see what she had left for him; but he swore loudly and then chucked the letter on his bed.

"Kon!" he yelled. "It's for you - another damn love letter from Chappy," and then he swore again; angry for getting his hopes up.

Kon scrambled from the closet, hopping up onto his bed while cheering in excitement. When he finished the letter, he was angry. "Ichigo, what did you do?"

"You little bastard, what the hell are you looking at me for?"

"Chappy says Urahara had to send her and the gigai back to Soul Society, since Nee-san won't be coming back! Did you piss her off or something?"

Ichigo was livid. He punched Kon in the face, over and over again; the lion plushie squeaked. "I didn't do anything, goddamnit!" Finally relenting, he slumped back down onto the desk.

Kon was thankful that plushies didn't have nerve endings. "Well, what happened?"

The explanation he received was just too ridiculous to be reality, so Ichigo decided to tell his theory of the truth instead. "Some noble house found out Rukia's been staying here, and is blackmailing the Kuchiki reputation. Byakuya has been forced to make sure we never see each other again. Goddamn aristocracy...." he swore, followed by a slew of words that made even Kon blush in embarassment.

Kon had never seen Ichigo this upset. Sure, Ichigo had a temper, and Kon was a common recipient of Ichigo's frustrations; but this? This was something else entirely. "Wait - you're not mad at Byakuya?"

"Oh hell yes I am, but it wasn't even his idea. That fat bastard even told me he's not happy about it. Still, that stuckup snob won't change his mind."

Kon thought for a few minutes, and he realized the only option left was to get himself into _really_ deep trouble. Now all he had to do was figure out how not to get himself killed before he got into that really deep trouble. Kon was not a good smooth-talker, so he played it by ear (which, should be said, was disaster waiting to happen for someone who didn't have real ears). "Well, uh, Ichigo, I don't know anything about these kind of situations. To me, it sounds like, er, a bad case of angry Shakespeare."

Steam was coming out of Ichigo's ears. "Kon, _what in the goddamn world are you talking about?_"

"Well, uh, see, it's like this. Nee-san is your girlfriend, and her family doesn't approve. So they, ah, throw a fit and make everything complicated! Yeah."

"_This isn't bloody Romeo and Juliet,_ you dimwit!"

"'Course not! Uh... but what I'm saying is that this isn't about you and Nee-san anymore, ur.... It's about her family."

Veins were bursting on Ichigo's forehead. _"Do you think I'm a freaking moron?"_

"Er, uh, what I mean to say is that if her family is involved, then, ah... so should yours!"

Ichigo looked like two tons of dynamite packed into a coffee can. "_Kon. You. Are. Making. No. Sense. _Do I have to get Ishida to _sew your mouth shut!?!_"

Kon gave up trying to be indirect. He was going to be in really deep trouble no matter what happened at this point. "Ichigo, talk to your dad."

Ichigo instantly forgot his fiery rage and gave the lion a puzzled look. Kon was irritating and dumb, but still, that suggestion was just... _random_. "Huh? Why?"

"Your dad would do anything for Nee-san. There's gotta be something he can do."

"That's ridiculous. My old man's a total goof. What the hell could he do? This isn't like buying a plane ticket to Okinawa, Kon! _She's in another freaking dimension,_ for god's sake!"

"That old man of yours may be a wacko, but he does really know something about falling in love. I'm not saying he can solve your problems, Ichigo. I'm just saying that maybe talking to him is better than bottling it all up inside."

"You have to be kidding me. Since when did you become a psychologist!?"

Kon got serious. "When it comes to real problems, Ichigo, you know Nee-san would tell you to talk to him."

Ichigo was angry, but he restrained himself. If Rukia was here, she would have done exactly that. Rukia had much more respect for his dad than Ichigo did, but for the life of him he wasn't sure why. "Fine," Ichigo grumbled, changing out of his soaked clothes. "But I think it's a stupid idea."

Ichigo stormed off down the stairs. Kon breathed a sigh of relief. He was worried he was going to need to confess that Kurosaki Isshin was actually a sinigami, and that Kon had known this ever since Grand Fisher had returned to the real world as an arrancar. Because Kon was afraid that if Ichigo found out that he knew the truth and never told him, Kon was going to be a green marble at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean; never to see his beloved Chappy ever again.

Of course, that assumed that _Isshin _didn't kill him for potentially tipping Ichigo off.

* * *

_Reviews, please! Next chapter: Man-to-man. -njx_

_

* * *

_

~~Crossover Cup!~~

Today's special guest: _Alphonse Elric,_ from Full Metal Alchemist!

_Al:_ Wow, Kon is just like me! We're both souls in non-human bodies!

_Nathan:_ Er, I don't think you want to compare yourself to Kon.


	4. Subtext

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Bleach.

* * *

Ichigo went halfway down the stairs. Karin and Yuzu were at the table with their father, and they were all eating curry for dinner and joking around about some bizarre patient that they had today. Something about a guy with a flute in the wrong place.

"Dad - can we talk?"

Isshin's goofy smile receded into something a bit more reserved. "Karin-chan, Yuzu-chan - take some money from the drawer and go get some ice cream. Stop by the video store and pick out some movies for us to watch, okay?"

Yuzu and Karin knew that whenever their father was even slightly serious, they had better listen. Yuzu kissed him on the cheek and waved goodbye to Ichigo while Karin got the money. After they left, Ichigo sat down at the table.

"Something bothering you, son?"

"Yeah."

"Lemme guess - girl trouble?"

"Not exactly."

"Well, that makes it easy, then."

"Hardly."

"Ya know, son, this whole talking bit works better when you actually tell me something."

"It's Rukia's family."

"Heh? What about 'em?"

"Well, it's.... complicated."

"Life is complicated, son."

"So, you know how Rukia takes the train home every weekend to go see her family? On my way home from the station, someone from her family kind of accosted me on the street."

"Really? Did Rukia-chan know her family was in town?"

"No, I'm pretty sure she didn't have a clue."

"Guy, I take it?"

"Yeah."

"So what did he say to you?"

"Eh- I don't know if you know anything about Rukia's family, but her family is... upper class. Like, really snooty upper class. He said he was going to make sure Rukia never came back, 'cause I'm not good enough for her."

"Do _you_ believe that?"

"Hell no! Well... I try to be good enough for her. I don't know that I always do the best job."

"Why don't you just go after her?"

"Dad, it's not that simple. I can't just charge in there, it would be a scandal. I can't do that to Rukia."

"But what about Rukia-chan? Wouldn't she find a way back here?"

"I don't know, Dad. Her brother is a real tight-ass. He's not gonna let her get away so easily."

"C'mon, Ichigo. You're more determined than that, no?"

"Dad, I'm totally lost. I have no idea how to deal with this. It's almost as if anything I do is going to end up hurting Rukia somehow. I can't just tear her apart from her family."

"Yeah, I know. But dealing with family situations is a price you pay for a meaningful relationship, Ichigo."

"Sure, like _you_ know anything about that, Dad," Ichigo retorted. "Mom was an only child, and her parents lived halfway across the world. You never even met them once. And all your family is dead. It's not like you had parents bearing down on you."

"Don't think I don't know anything about family obligations, son. My family was dead when I met your mother, sure; but I only met her because I was running away from my family problems to begin with."

"Huh? What are you talking about?"

"I came to Karakura because I ran away from an arranged marriage, son. I'm no stranger to complicated family matters."

_"No way!"_

"It's the truth, Ichigo. When I married your mother, I had to live with the guilt of failing my entire family's honor. I broke their promise, and there was no way I could make it up to them."

"How- what- who- _you,_ in an _arranged marriage_!?"

"Absolutely. It was very common where I grew up. My parents and her parents set the whole deal up, and there I was, engaged to a girl from a neighboring family."

"...Why did you run away?"

"If you met that family, you would have, too," Isshin smirked. "But it didn't matter - I shamed my whole family by balking out. They even sent people after me."

"Dad, you're making this up. You _can't_ be serious."

"No, for real. If I didn't end up taking your mother's name, I'm sure they would have caught me."

_"WHAT!?"_

"That's right, 'Kurosaki' was your mother's last name. She always joked that she must have been the feminist ideal or something; getting the man to take the woman's last name."

Ichigo's mouth was hanging open. He couldn't believe this. Everything he thought he knew just flew out the window - like his whole life had been somebody else's play, and he had just been an actor. "Dad, this is crazy!"

"Eh, it was convenient. Besides, 'Kurosaki Isshin' is so much easier on the tongue than my old name."

"What... what was your family name, Dad?"

"Before I got married, my full name was Shiba Isshashine."

Ichigo's entire body was frozen in absolute shock. _"Wait -_ did you just say _'Shiba'_?"

"Yep. It's a shame, really. It's such a cool name, ya know? The kind that makes you look important. I bet if you ask them Kuchiki folks, I'm sure they would think it's a nicer name than Kurosaki, don't you think?"

_"Yeeaahhh....._ So, Dad, when exactly were you going to tell me all of this?"

"Well, honestly, I was hoping I would have never had to tell you."

"Aren't you going to tell Karin and Yuzu?"

"I imagine one day, Karin and I will have this same conversation. I think Yuzu likes being a _Kurosaki_, though."

"Dad, how come you didn't tell me you were a -"

Just then, the door opened, and Karin and Yuzu came in with a pack of ice cream sandwiches and a stack of movies. "Hey, we're home," Karin said, sensing a really, really heavy aura in the room.

"Oniichan, is everything okay? Did something happen to Rukia-chan?" asked Yuzu, concern evident.

Isshin didn't give Ichigo a chance to answer, and within a blink of an eye, he was back to his old goofy self. "Everything's fine! Ichigo here was just telling me how lonely he was gonna be this weekend without our dear Rukia-chan to keep him company, so he wanted to ask me if I would lend him some money for the train, that's all!"

"Uh- ah-"

"And then I was explaining to Ichigo that you can't just show up at a girl's house without bringing anything, so he was asking me about all sorts of things he had to bring! See, he was going to bring her flowers, but I told him he's gotta buy those when he gets there, or they won't be fresh."

Karin and Yuzu looked at each other. They were clearly wondering if their father had been having a heartfelt chat with Ichigo, or if he had really been teaching him how to smoke crack. He sure was acting weird - even for him.

"Ain't that right, son? But you know what will impress them? You gotta give Rukia-chan some jewelry in front of the family. Then they'll respect you, you see?"

"Dad, I-"

"And then you gotta bring them a family picture - one that has Rukia-chan in it, so that they can see she's really found her place here."

"Uh-"

"Karin-chan, Yuzu-chan, why don't you rack up a movie? I'm gotta make sure Ichigo has what he needs, 'cause he's gonna go catch the next train so he can spend some special time with Rukia-chan."

Ichigo was just too bewildered to even say anything anymore. It was all coming way too fast. Isshin returned with a small box and a framed picture of the five of them, and handed it to him. Ichigo remembered it. It was a sepia-toned photo that had been taken about six weeks ago, only a couple of weeks after Rukia had returned.

Ichigo was sitting cross-legged on the grass. Rukia was standing behind him, her hand resting on Ichigo's shoulder. Yuzu was leaning over his other shoulder, with Karin standing behind her. Isshin stood behind the younger girls with an uncharacteristically normal smile, one hand on each of the twin's shoulders. Ichigo loved this picture because it was the only one they had where Rukia's smile was real - that genuine, tender smile he adored so much but rarely saw.

His thoughts were interrupted when Karin put her hand on his shoulder. She was staring directly into his eyes, as if to make sure Ichigo wouldn't escape the question that followed. "You really love her, don't you?"

Ichigo felt a wave of relief flood over him, although he really wasn't sure why. He also wasn't sure how Karin could read him, but he was grateful nonetheless. "I do, Karin."

"Well, then, you better catch that train, eh, son?"

Ichigo could feel his depression fade away into determination. He thought about the events earlier in the week. _Her whole body was bursting with a bright, prismatic aura that seemed to split moonlight into rainbows. Bright beams of kaleidoscopic red, green, indigo, and every color in between were exploding in all directions; jamming his brain with a haze of every imaginable shade. A motley dance of palpable ribbons shimmered and curled off of them; threatening to blow out their retinas with a wild display of colors._ Rukia seemed like she was going to explode that night, he thought. But there was no way I was going to let go of her, zotokai spirits be damned. And there's no way I'm gonna let go now, either.

"Don't think we're done with this conversation, Pops," he taunted.

"Yeah? What conversation was that, son?" Isshin said slyly.

Ichigo laughed. "Old fool. I'll be back when I can."

Ichigo gave his sisters a giant bear hug and kissed them each on the forehead. Yuzu was elated to get such affection from him, but Karin was just surprised. "I love you, guys. I'm gonna go make sure Rukia comes back."

* * *

_Yeah, I know some of you saw this coming. But I bet you didn't see the conversation unfolding like this, huh?  
Next chapter: Remember Tatsufusa Enjoji? That loser shinigami that Chad defeated in 0.36 seconds when they went to Soul Society to rescue Rukia? Yeah, him. Fun stuff. -njx_

* * *

~~Crossover Cup!~~

Today's special guest: _Edward Elric,_ from Full Metal Alchemist!

_Ed: _What is it with dads who leave us in the dark?

_Isshin: _Sorry, I forgot to buy new light bulbs. I'll be right back!

_Ed: _What the...hey, wait! Get back here! _Damn you, you crazy fathers!_

_Nathan: _Er....


	5. Tantos

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Bleach.

* * *

"_Die,_ you goddamned bucket of horse vomit! Die, die, _die!_" she yelled, repeatedly stabbing the hollow's mask with her tanto. After six or seven hits, it began to disintegrate, and the pink-haired woman landed gracefully on the ground.

"Um, Banzo-sama, are you oka-"

"With all due respect, 3rd Seat Enjoji, you can cut it with the 'sama' crap. I don't give a rat's ass. You want to show me some respect? Call me by my rank." She tucked the brass tanto into its holster strapped on her right thigh. "Any more of these bastards out here?"

Enjoji shook his head. The lithe, athletic woman in front of her re-did the ribbon in her shoulder-length hair. She probably did it out of habit. The 8th division's 5th seat killed hollows too quickly for any wisps of hair to escape the bright green knot. Enjoji Tatsufusa had seen her take out swarms of hollows with her shikai in one shot, and then they would pack up and go home while she fidgeted with the ribbon. Enjoji liked to call them their five-minute missions.

As her arms fiddled behind her head, Tatsufusa couldn't help but look at her bust, even if it was just average. He liked to think it wasn't his fault - unlike most of the female shinigami, she wore nothing more than a tight black top that revealed her shoulders and abdomen. It wasn't low-cut enough to show any cleavage, but he _was_ a guy. He had little better to do than stare at her; it wasn't like there were any more hollows to kill.

He never understood why she refused to wear the standard shinigami shihakusho. Although he himself he could appreciate the freedom of movement associated with a more open uniform - his own was completely open along his sword arm - Banzo-sama had a hideous complexion. For the most part, she was pale, but she had blotchy patches of dark red-brown skin that littered her stomach, arms, and neck. At first he thought it may have been scars, but after being sent on several missions with her, he had cleverly deduced that they were actually giant moles. She had one on her back that still had blond hairs sticking out of it. He figured that she probably shaved or plucked the others, since she could reach them.

She was lucky that she didn't have any moles on her face, although it was little consolation. A large portion of its left side had some sort of splotchy birthmark that ruined what otherwise would have been attractive. It was a bit unsettling to look at someone whose ears weren't the same color. To make it worse, she even wore different earings; two silver hoops in one and three gold hoops in the other. The disparate metals just augmented her mismatched features.

"Hey, Braids San-Seki, do I have to paint a freakin' up arrow on my shirt?"

He looked away immediately, red-faced. "Uh, time to go."

She sneered. "_No, _time to give Lieutenant Glasses our report. You better make sure you fill it out perfectly because I'll be damned if my career gets ruined by your laziness." She shook her head in frustration. "That's the fifteenth class-C hollow out here in Inazuri just this week. Any more of 'em and my rage is just gonna peter out."

Enjoji raised an eyebrow. He wasn't sure he should ask.

She answered anyway. "There's only so many times you can pretend to stab someone in the face. After a couple o' times, it's no longer a satisfying substitute for the real thing." Banzo punched her right-hand into her left, the open-fingered leather gloves echoing a heavy _thwack_.

"Yeah... okaaaaaaay then, let's get going." She may be a Lady of the Four Houses, but he'd hung around her long enough to know that 'uncaged animal' was a more apt description.

She passed right by him, returning towards the Sereitei. "And next time, Braids San-Seki, don't just stand there like a lardass, okay? I'm not your bitch, ya know."

"Uh, sorry." That's Banzo-sama for you, he mused. Best soldier in the 8th division, and most crass princess in all of Soul Society.

***

As usual, Rukia headed straight for the 13th division's captain's pavillion right after she arrived. When she got there, Kiyone was standing guard.

"Hey, is the captain available?" It was rare for Kiyone to be on guard duty. Usually, she was personally tending to the captain. If she was standing outside, that wasn't a good sign.

"No, Ukitake Taicho is sleeping now. I'm making sure no one bothers him; he needs to rest."

"Where's Kotsubaki-san?"

"He's compiling the other reports from the seated officers for your review. It should be available for your vice-captain's meeting tomorrow."

"Good. Anything else to report?"

"One thing, Kuchiki Fukutaicho. Komamura Taicho asked if you could extend your training session with him tomorrow for about forty-five minutes."

"Okay. Please send a hell butterfly to confirm the schedule change with Komamura-sensei." Rukia handed Kiyone the logbook of this week's activity in Karakura. "Kotetsu-san, please give these to Ukitake Taicho whenever he's ready for them." Rukia paused for a moment. "Kotetsu-san, what's the real situation with Ukitake-sama?"

Kiyone sniffled as she tried to hold back tears. "It's not good, Fukutaicho. Jushiro-san is really sick."

Rukia gave the golden-haired girl a hug. She could tell Kiyone needed it - her third seat didn't let go for quite a few minutes. After Rukia's ebony hair was damp with tears, she pulled away with her hands on Kiyone's shoulders. "Focus on him, Kotetsu-san. He needs you right now. I'll make sure Kotsubaki-san takes care of the rest."

Kiyone nodded.

"Now be a good soldier and tough it up. You're among the toughest third-seats there are - don't let anyone see you crying," Rukia teased.

A smile broke out on Kiyone's face. Somehow, her lieutenant always knew the right thing to say to her. "_Hai,_ Kuchiki Fukutaicho!" she barked, her military pride forging her new resolve. She held her salute as the woman she admired most headed east to the Kuchiki estate; unseated shinigami moving out of her way and bowing to pay honor to the regal lieutenant.

***

3rd Seat Enjoji Tatsufusa took a deep breath before walking into the captain's office. At this hour, he knew that Kyoraku Taicho wouldn't be there, and honestly, that scared him. It meant he would have to give in the paperwork to Ise Fukutaicho without the security of the captain to reign her in.

Enjoji remembered the berating she gave him in front of the other seated officers last year, including his current mission partner, 5th Seat Banzo. When that giant ryoka had blown him away with ease during their invasion of Soul Society, the captain and vice captain had to mop up after his spectacular failure. He could still remember her seething temper and how she had utterly humiliated him in front of the other seated officers. Although he hadn't been formally demoted, Ise Fukutaicho had relieved his command of the fifteen lower seated officers, passing the responsibility onto the fourth seat. He was stuck with the last of the top seats, 5th Seat Banzo, which was not exactly a walk in the park. Sure, he barely had to _do_ anything, but in hindsight, he almost would have preferred a demotion. Since then, Enjoji had no desire to get on Ise's bad side. In _theory,_ she had a good side; but he certainly never saw it.

When Enjoji opened the doors to the office, he found Ise Fukutaicho at her desk, meditating quietly with her hand in her left sleeve. This was common - since he became a third seat, he knew that when she finished the paperwork, she liked to talk to her zanpakutou. Her eyes were closed in deep concentration, but her dark, brooding features were scary nonetheless.

As he laid the reports down on her desk, quiet as he could possibly be so as not to disturb her, he thought of his own zanpakutou. It was a huge scimitar, and despite his own skill at wielding it in a furious avalanche of deadliness, he realized that he was more scared of two tiny tantos. Banzo's brass one was something he saw in action on a regular basis, and she was not to be messed with. Ise Fukutaicho, though, was notoriously secretive about her golden tanto and its powers. Supposedly only Captain Kyoraku and General Yamamoto knew anything about it. All Enjoji knew was that he hoped he never, _ever_ saw it. The 8th division lieutenant's command of kido was terrifying enough.

He began to exit quietly when her voice paralyzed him. "Are they all here?" she asked, her voice stern. He swore that she got satisfaction out of intimidating him.

"_Hai,_ Ise Fukutaicho," he saluted.

She perused them while he waited. "Another hollow kill for Banzo-sama?"

"_Hai,_ Fukutaicho," he confirmed. He didn't dare speak more than he needed to in front of her.

Ise adjusted her glasses. "Did she use shikai?"

Enjoji squirmed. The lieutenant often asked him this. "Not today, Fukutaicho." Although he had his suspicions, he wasn't really sure which answer Ise Fukutaicho wanted to hear. When Banzo did use her shikai, his lieutenant didn't seem to have a different reaction.

Ise nodded. "Dismissed."

Enjoji left as fast as he could, happy that he escaped her ominous glare for today.

***

"Good evening, Rukia-sama."

"Good evening, Tori-_sama_," Rukia taunted. Back to these silly honor games, I see. I've been in Soul Society maybe for an hour, and here she is; already waiting on the steps for me.

"What may I do to assist you? Perhaps some dinner, Rukia-sama?"

Rukia chose to ignore the excessively aloof honorific for the moment. Tori could be persistent. "Actually, I was hoping I could eat dinner with Nii-sama. Is he around?" Rukia always tried to eat supper with him on her first night back. She really did miss him while she was gone, and tried to catch him for at least one meal on the weekends. Even though they always ate together in near silence, she enjoyed his company; if only because it meant that he respected her as family.

"Byakuya-sama is meeting with Banzo Tanabi this evening, and has indicated that he anticipates that he will be out late."

Rukia shuddered at the name. She had gone on a date with the Head of the Kido Corps roughly forty-five years ago. "I feel sorry for Nii-sama. But why will he be back late?"

"I believe Byakuya-sama's exact words were, 'I will need frequent and lengthy trips to the lavatory so as not to sever that idiot's head.'"

Rukia laughed. "Nii-sama really said that?"

"Yes, Rukia-sama. And then he told me I could repeat it to no one but yourself. He said you 'would appreciate the sentiment'."

Rukia chuckled again. "And they say Nii-sama doesn't have a sense of humor."

* * *

_Ah, the beauty of irony. Note: the 'up arrow shirt' is a tribute to a webcomic called Applegeeks.  
Reviews, everybody! You know you've got something to say. Next chapter: Soukyoku Hill. -njx_

_

* * *

_

~~Crossover Cup!~~

Today's special guest: _Sir Integra Wingate Hellsing,_ from Hellsing! (duh)

_Integra:_ I like this Vice Captain Ise.

_Nathan: _Um, do I even want to ask?

_Integra:_ What's a matter, Nathan? You don't think a woman can do a man's job?

_Nathan: _Are you kidding me? I'm married to a woman fifty times more competent than I am.

_Integra:_ Okay, but why did you write in this loser Enjoji?

_Nathan: _Because for some reason he's the 8th division 3rd seat.

_Integra:_ Never send a man to do a woman's job.

_Nathan: _I agree.

_Integra:_ You're a suckup.

_Nathan:_ Um, thanks for coming! That's all the time we have! Goodbye! See you tomorrow!


	6. Politics

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Bleach.

* * *

Rukia awoke the next morning and put on her practice uniform, a well-worn tan yukata that had seen better days. She reached out to Sode no Shirayuki on her sword rack, and jokingly teased her zanpakutou that at least one of them would sleep late. Grabbing the small breakfast satchel that Tori had left for her, she headed over to the private practice field on the Kuchiki estate for her weekly training with Captain Komamura.

He was there, enjoying a large bundle of kolrabi. Few people knew that Komamura-sensei was actually a vegetarian, which obviously completely belied his appearance. Of course, Rukia knew that such was the case for most things related to the 7th division captain. She was sure if he had a man's face, it would have been that of a kindergarten teacher. In battle, he was a fierce and fearsome warrior; but outside of that context, he was more like a giant teddy bear than a fox.

She bowed to him, and he gestured for her to sit down next to him. They ate breakfast while making small talk. Komamura had never been to the real world before, so he always had questions about it. In particular, he enjoyed conversations about anything mechanical. Rukia knew that one of his most prized positions was a grandfather clock that Hisagi-san had bought for him in the real world.

After their usual breakfast banter, they trained with a large pile of wooden swords. Since Rukia had obtained bankai, they had alternated between full-blown combat and pure swordsmanship for muscle toning. Today, they were doing the latter. Rukia's petite size was always a disadvantage in battle, so it was always good to practice tactics that mitigated this factor.

The end result was a large number of broken wooden swords, and today was no different. Rukia used kido to heal her bruises (Sensei always remarked that the 4th division would be jealous of her talent), but since he had asked her for an extra forty-five minutes today, she wasn't sure why they were stopping at the usual time.

"Kuchiki-san, thank you for staying with me for a few moments. I had a favor to ask of you."

"Of course, Komamura-sensei. What is it?"

"I was hoping you could give me some advice."

"_Me?_ Give you advice?"

"Yes. Although this is perhaps a tad embarassing, if you would be okay with a bit of honest discussion, I would be most grateful. I need some advice regarding... well, how to court women."

Rukia was a bit speechless. "I... I can _try_, Sensei. I don't know that I'm the best person to ask."

Komamura smiled in relief. "Well you are the only woman with whom I can speak comfortably, and I am wise enough to know that advice from a woman is likely better than whatever tips Iba-san or Hisagi-san could offer."

Rukia chortled. "Yeah, I think I can do better than _them,_ at least. Can I ask who the woman is?" He appeared hesitant, so she didn't pursue it. "Never mind, you don't have to tell me. Do you think her feelings might be mutual, or are you going into this without really any idea?"

"I believe it would be best for you to assume that I am completely incapable of understanding even a single facet of the feminine mystique."

Rukia laughed at his obvious attempt to keep the conversation as light-hearted as possible. "In that case, the best thing you can do is just try to find ways to be yourself around her."

Komamura was quiet for a moment. "Most women find many convenient reasons to avoid my presence for extended periods of time."

Rukia understood what he was referring to. She thought for a moment until she found the right words. "Sensei, I have had the pleasure of your company for several months now; and I know you to be a kind-hearted, gentle man who respects everyone around him. No woman could give a praise greater than that. If I can see it, than I assure you other women will, too. Just give her an opportunity to see that in you, and I'm sure it won't be long until the rest flows naturally."

The giant stared up into the sky, his face pensive as his eyes traced a cloud. After a moment, he looked down to her again. "What if she sees only my face?"

Rukia put her hand on her mentor's arm. "Sensei, I learned something interesting yesterday. It may sound cliche, but I'll share it anyway. Do you remember the ryoka Inoue Orihime? Did you ever see her? She's so beautiful that boys _and_ girls chase after her," Rukia snarked, remembering some of the wilder things Chizuru did. "I once wondered why Ichigo would bother with me when Orihime was available. But he just didn't see it that way - he fell in love with me, and it didn't matter how beautiful she was. I know you may feel it's a bit different, but in the end, it's who we are that matters; not what we look like." Rukia did her best not to gag on her own sappiness. Sensei probably never saw any romantic comedies, so he probably didn't think that sounded as god-awful as she did.

There was silence for a long while, but he broke it first. "So I don't have to go to the real world to buy her fancy chocolates, or climb Mount Fujiyamu to harvest exotic flowers?"

"Meh, chocolate makes you fat and flowers make you sneeze. But good company produces happiness," she proffered. "Just be yourself, and let her find you. That's the easiest way. And if it doesn't pan out, then it's her loss."

He rose to his feet and helped her up. "I confess, Kuchiki-san, that I am skeptical; but it is sensible advice."

"Of course it's sensible. I'm a woman, aren't I?" she teased.

He laughed, a deep bellow that was jolly and jovial. "Indeed, you are. Thank you, Kuchiki-san. Hopefully, I will have more to ask you after next week's training."

***

Ise Nanao normally loved the feeling of the strong wind against her neck. Soukyoku Hill was a haven for her; a place where she could avoid her captain's childish antics (and his perverted ones, too). It was quiet, and the view was spectacular. She typically came here on the weekends before the vice captains' meeting.

Not that she was looking at the view right now. She was in a challenging game of life-or-death, a battle between two halves of her soul; and at the moment, the strong wind on her neck was distracting her. Ise Nanao was struggling to maintain the concentration to do battle with her zanpakutou; and while she could normally maintain a mindlink with little difficulty, she was having trouble today.

Today, her companion had proposed their usual match of chess. Nanao would have preferred go, or gin rummy, or even checkers. Not that her zanpakutou really let her win anything for those games; they were merely what they played when they chatted. Today, the order of the day was chess: twenty-nine concurrent games of it, with only three seconds permitted per turn. Ise moved a rook and went onto the next board.

_What's wrong?_

"I beat you at chess already, why are we doing this again?" Ise challenged, checkmating her first board.

_Yeah, but I made it easy for you last time._

Ise sighed as she moved a pawn in her mind. Winning shikai only took a match with seven boards. Since then, she couldn't win past more than thirteen.

The black-haired teenager across from her taunted her with an evil grin; red eyes glowing as she forked her with a knight on the next board. _Forgetting about your queen again?_

Nanao gave her zanpakutou a glare for the not-so-subtle barb. "Even _you_ don't respect my kido skill," she sighed, giving up her queen but at least trading it with a rook before checkmating her second board elsewhere.

_Hey! That's not fair. I'm a kido-based zanpakutou, after all; of course I respect your talent. I'm just upset you never let me do my job. I exist to protect you, the least you could do is use me once in a while._

"It would be far easier if you didn't make me so weak," Ise retorted, moving a bishop on one board and then a pawn on another.

_See, you **do** want to use me! _

"Don't disgust me by twisting my sentiment," Ise spat while trading knights on another board to avoid losing a critical pawn. "I merely meant to say that you do an awful job of protecting me."

_Well, I could do much better if I was fed properly!_

Nanao instantly broke her mindlink, throwing her tanto on the floor and stepping on it, angrily grinding it into the dirt. She couldn't help it that this was a part of her soul; the reality of who she was - but she didn't have to like it.

***

Rukia sat down to next to Sasakibe, in her designated chair as Head Lieutenant. Because of her extended session this morning, she didn't have time to dry her hair properly after her bath, and now she was a bit cold. Hopefully the lieutenant's meeting wouldn't drag on like it usually did. If only this damn chair gave me the right to run this meeting, she thought. It would take all of ten minutes.

Nanao seemed agitated as she distributed the agenda while they waited for everyone to take seats. To Rukia's interest, the first item was to fill Renji's old seat as lieutenant of the 6th division.

"First order of business," Sasakibe began as he glared at Matsumoto for coming in late, "is to propose candidates for the 6th division vice captain's seat. The 6th division is a tactical offensive unit, designed to be deployed for initial assaults against the frontline enemy assets."

"In other words, you need a powerhouse; someone who can do what Abarai Taicho did in that old role," Vice Captain Iba indicated. "Didn't he come from the 11th division originally? Anyone there that's suitable?"

"Ken-chan says he's tired of giving up all his good fights," Yachiru chirped as she unwrapped a piece of candy. "He's already grumpy that he's got no one to play with." She stuffed the candy in her mouth and ceased to pay attention to anything else.

"It wouldn't accomplish much," Hisagi thought out loud. "The 6th and 11th divisions generally perform the same frontline offensive in war. Taking someone from the 11th to fill a hole in the 6th is just shuffling an incomplete deck of cards. Someone from another division would be best."

Isane raised her hand. "What about 3rd Seat Kotetsu from the 13th division? She already has bankai."

Omaeda objected. "Not after her tantrum two months ago. I doubt Kuchiki Taicho would want to put up with that brat. Just because she's your sister doesn't mean you can recommend her."

"You will refer to 3rd Seat Kotetsu by her proper title, _Vice Captain _Omaeda," Rukia bristled. The effect of her rebuke was not lost on the other vice captains. Omaeda himself cowered a bit in his chair. "Regardless of the fact that Kotetsu-san would make a _fine_ lieutenant, I believe that she would want to stay in the 13th division. Her previous _indiscretions_ were related to her role as Captain Ukitake's caretaker. Until his health returns, I doubt she would accept the offer."

"What about 5th division 3rd seat, Hitamake Hanzo?" Kira Izuru suggested, trying to avoid leaving the tension hanging in the air. "He serves quite capably as Acting Lieutenant while Hinamori-san serves as Acting Captain."

"I like the suggestion, Kira-san, but I would drown without him. It's hard enough keeping things together without a captain," Hinamori explained. "I need him to help me run the division. I don't think my 4th seat is ready to take on that level of responsibility."

Nanao took the opening. "I would like to propose 5th Seat Banzo-sama from the 8th division. She is a capable shinigami with many years of experience, and her prowess on the field is unmatched amongst our other seated officers."

Rukia was quick to respond, knowing the political implications of any promotion involving a member of the Four Houses. "Would Banzo-san even agree to that? Placing a member of the Banzo family under the command of a Kuchiki could be taken as an insult."

"Kyoraku Taicho spoke with her about it after testing her combat skills this morning, and she was very honored to have been considered. Banzo-sama is... quite an unsual noblewoman."

Rukia mulled it over. "I think Kyoraku Taicho should talk to Nii-sama. I don't know all the details, but I know there is a history between the two houses. Nii-sama may refuse."

Sasakibe spoke up. "On the other hand, not offering the position to a worthy Lady of the Four Houses could be seen as an even greater insult. I agree with Head Lieutenant Kuchiki's recommendation to have the captains discuss the matter further. Barring no objections from any of the interested parties, does anyone else object to this candidate?"

Omaeda raised his hand. "I've heard she's a bit of a wild cannon."

Nanao gave Omaeda the patented Ise-death-glare - the one where the red glare refracted in her glasses. "She is meticulous in every report she has ever filed, and has never failed a single mission. Everyone in the division respects her combat skills, and even her superior officers commend her for her leadership capabilities. Banzo-sama has over three thousand hollow kills this year alone. Do you have any specific objections, _Vice Captain Omaeda_, or are you threatened by the fact that yet another woman could kick your ass?"

Matsumoto and Hinamori snickered, but Yachiru burst out laughing. "Fatso's afraid of the girls eating up all his snacks."

Sasakibe did not like it when his meetings devolved into this. He looked over to the Head Lieutenant, who held the Kuchiki pose with timeless grace but made no effort to hide a tiny smirk. Chojiro sighed in exasperation. He would rather be drinking tea and reading the newspaper. "Vice Captain Omaeda's objection has been noted, Lieutenant Ise's rebuttal has been acknowledged. Is there anything else before we continue on to the hollow activity reports? No? Very well..."

***

Banzo Tanabi's only daughter walked into her room. Mikoro was waiting for her.

"Banzo-dono, what can I assist you with this evening?"

"Shove it, Mikoro. It's time for me to do my hair. You can help me by burying yourself in a six-foot hole somewhere."

Mikoro sighed. "It would be easier if you would let me serve you, Banzo-dono."

"Get lost. The only reason you're hanging around here is because you want to peer in on me while I'm in the shower."

He began to protest when she fixed him with a glare and a reiatsu haze that silenced him. "You think I didn't notice the little hole you and your buddies carved in the bathroom, you sick peeping tom? Yeah, well, from now on, I'm sticking Shiji in it when I'm in there. If you happen to go blind, it's your own damn fault."

Mikoro quickly made himself absent. He had to figure out how to get himself out of this contract.

Banzo slammed the door behind him and unstrapped Shiji from her thigh, resting the sheath on her dresser while she jammed it in the peephole by the bathroom wall. A note from her father was on her bed, saying to meet with her for dinner. After her day, she really didn't want to bother, but hoped she would feel otherwise after she had a chance to bathe.

She stripped her uniform and tossed it in the laundry bucket, putting on a bathrobe. After lighting the fire in her hearth and placing the tin of water on it, she proceeded to scrub her clothes with a bar of soap. She knew that if she put anything in the hamper, the slave labor in the basement would need to clean it four times, and she wouldn't have it back in time for tomorrow. To her, that was just stupid. They were her work clothes, for crying out loud. The whole point of a black uniform was to hide stains. Stained-but-clean would do just fine.

The Banzo princess hung up her laundry to dry on the small rack she kept in her room, and then proceeded to bathe in the shower stall. After nearly forty-five minutes of preening, plucking, shaving, and other activities related to her personal needs of feminine hygiene, she began dyeing her hair again.

As was to be expected, she inherited her platinum blonde locks from her family. The blond hair had long been a signature trait of the Banzo family, and her father was proud to have a long, blonde braid that he had grown for over two hundred years. Knowing she would have to keep it blond after she married, the only daughter of the widower had been dyeing her hair since she was thirty-three. At first, she had dyed it more traditional colors, such as strawberry blonde or red. After a while, that got boring; so she started with neon colors. She settled on bright pink after admiring the 11th division lieutenant one day, and had been using it ever since.

Happy with her handiwork, she put her mirror aside and tied up her hair in her favorite green ribbon. It was the only thing she had from her mother, since her father wouldn't let her inherit anything else until she was married. She never knew her mother - she had died during childbirth nearly a hundred and twenty years ago - but knew that she was beautiful. Wearing the ribbon was like a half-hearted prayer that someday, she might not be so ugly.

She was sure that was at least one reason why no one wanted to marry her.

* * *

_Ah, now things are getting interesting. Reviews please! Next chapter: Rukia. Byakuya. No Karakura. Oh, here it comes. Stay tuned! -njx _

* * *

~~Crossover Cup!~~

Today's special guest: _Jin, _from Samurai Champloo!

_Jin: _Twenty-nine concurrent games of chess? This Ise Nanao must be a master strategist.

_Nathan: _You're not supposed to say that! You'll spoil the surprises!

_Jin: _Um, I'm not the one writing this omake.

_Nathan: _Go back to being quiet, Jin. We like you better when you're brooding.

_Jin: ...._


	7. Reassignment

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Bleach.

_Okay, just saw Bleach Filler Episode 259. Sigh. Allow me to say this - at least in my story, Ise Nanao is most definitely **not** a wuss. _

* * *

Rukia headed over to the 4th division, slightly worried. She knew that visiting hours wouldn't begin for a bit yet, but wanted to be there when it opened.

Upon arriving at the captain's pavillion, Kotsubaki had informed her that Kotetsu had taken Captain Ukitake to the 4th division infirmary, because she couldn't get him to stop coughing. Although he wasn't coughing blood, Kotetsu-san was worried that if she didn't get him under Unohana Taicho's care, it might get worse; so she took him in earlier that morning.

Rukia had some time to kill, and the 5th division office was on the way, so she stopped by to see Hinamori. Momo and Nanao were her best friends in Soul Society. She hadn't had time to shmooze during her off-schedule visit earlier that week, which oddly felt like it had been years ago.

"Rukia-chan! Hey, c'mon in. Want some tea?" Momo greeted her as she walked in. She was the only one in the office at the moment; usually her 3rd seat, Hitamake, was helping her with paperwork.

"Thanks, Momo-chan. Ukitake-sama is in the 4th, and visiting hours don't start for a bit yet; so I figured I could catch up. Anything new?"

"That's a pretty funny question coming from someone who spent Monday lit up like a giant rainbow," she teased.

"Huh? What're you talking about?"

"During your battle this week with the 12th division Captain - er, whatever his name was, remember? Renji said that when you and Ichigo summoned that zotokai thingy, that you were flashing colors brighter than Shiba Kuukaku's last birthday blast."

"Really? I had no idea. All I know is that trying to control my reiatsu felt like drinking from a firehose."

Momo giggled. "Weird. Actually, though - changing topics - did you talk to Izuru-san?"

"Me? No--- why?"

"He came to visit me yesterday for a little talk. He said you had inspired him to hash out some things."

Rukia was completely puzzled. "Sorry, Momo-chan, but I have absolutely no idea what he's talking about. I haven't talked with Kira-san in ages. I don't even think I've had more than a two-minute exchange with him since the academy days."

Momo looked surprised. "That's really.... interesting. He said that you taught him something about forgiveness."

Rukia thought really hard. "Not ringing any bells here, sorry. What'd you guys talk about, anyway?"

"Oh well. It was a bit of an awkward conversation - about what Gin did to him. Izuru-san still feels pretty guilty - he wouldn't stop apologizing for getting in a fight with me."

"Kira-san probably carries around a lot of pain inside, I guess. It's good he's beginning to work through it."

"I know. I told him it was a long time ago, and he should forget about it."

"Didn't you guys spend a lot of time in academy together? You guys should reconnect a bit. I bet it would be good for both of you. Both of you suffered more than anyone in the Winter War."

A sly smile spread across Hinamori's face. "Rukia-chan, are you playing matchmaker?"

Rukia waved her hands quickly with a look of horror. "N-n-no!"

Hinamori giggled. "It's okay. Izuru-san's cute when he's not all mopey."

"I'll make sure to tell him that," Rukia teased, rubbing her hands together conspiratorially.

Momo was mockingly aghast. "You wouldn't!"

Rukia put on her best 'noble Kuchiki' face, the one that made her look like Nii-sama. "Of course not. Dabbling in such emotional affairs is undignified," she deadpanned. Hinamori burst out laughing.

At that moment, Hitamake entered, surprised to find the head lieutenant in the office. He bowed deeply. "Kuchiki Fukutaicho, please excuse my interruption."

"No worries, Hitamake-san. I was just stopping by. Vice Captain Hinamori, I'll catch up with you later. Visiting hours will be open soon."

***

Ise was alone in the office.

She had been in Soul Society for only 125 years, and almost all of that time as a shinigami; so the office was like a second home to her room in the barracks. Since she kept most of her books in the office, so she often took respite there to brush up on her kido theory, read the latest editions of history books from the real world, or the occasional manga that Matsumoto would sometimes pick up for her; although only the clean ones. Most of what Matsumoto picked up had to meet a very quick _Hado #54: Abolishing Flames,_ because they were way too dirty, even for Nanao.

If she was alone and in a good mood, she would often sing. Nanao loved opera - Maria Callas, Dame Joan Sutherland, Fleming, Tebaldi, Scotta. She wasn't a soprano, but she had a nice voice; at least that was what Isane had told her. She was the only one who ever really heard her sing. Occasionally, Kyoraku would catch her humming and fawn over her with his annoying "kawaii Nanao-chan" nonsense. Today, though, she wasn't in the mood to sing at all.

Sometimes, she would find Isane and go out for dinner after the vice captain's meeting, but her long-time friend was on call in the infirmary this weekend after a large hollow hunt came back with injuries, so that wasn't a possibility. Rukia wasn't available at the moment, either; visiting hours would be open soon and Ise knew she would need to visit Ukitake Taicho.

Nanao thought about her conversation with her weapon that morning. Pulling it out of her sheath in her left sleeve, she laid it out in front of her, looking at it with anguish. She pulled back the sleeve of her shihakusho, revealing the scars marked in neat rows along her sheath arm, hazards of the job. That's what she told herself, anyway.

Frustrated, she pulled her glasses off and polished them. Placing them back on her face, she noticed that a fly had managed to get into the office and was buzzing noisily. Annoyed, she eradicated it with a wordless _Hado #4: White Lightning_, fine-tuning it to strike the fly with nothing wider than a sewing needle. Exploding in a burst of ash, it ceased to disturb her.

Nanao knew it was overkill, but she took great pleasure in killing the pest. She rarely got to kill hollows anymore. Kyoraku was ridiculously overprotective of her, and she was good at paperwork. Those two things meant she rarely had the opportunity to fight. The 8th division was a companion to the 3rd and 13th - the 13th division went hollow-hunting in the real world; the 8th went hollow-hunting in the Rukongai, and the 3rd was responsible for hunts in Sereitei. Ise Nanao used to go on many missions when she commanded a platoon as the 7th seat, but she was promoted from that position to vice captain. While she had always wanted to serve in the upper echelon, it hadn't been quite what she expected.

Which was why she was so torn. It was her zanpakutou that simultaneously moved her forward and held her back. Ise returned to reviewing her scars, each one evoking conflict within her. For five minutes, ten minutes, then twenty minutes, she tried to understand herself; but was unable to find an answer.

"Cutting yourself again?" Kyoraku asked.

Nanao cursed his ability to appear out of nowhere. "No," she replied dryly, annoyed with his overprotective concern but at least grateful he wasn't being cutesy with her. No matter how much he wanted to get into her pants, Kyoraku was the closest thing she had to a father; and he knew it. Nanao loved Kyoraku just as much as she hated him. It was exactly as Rukia always told her: love is complicated.

Kyoraku could tell she wasn't lying, but he knew how to read this scene. He had counseled Nanao through her cutting problem several years ago, and was why he kept her off the battlefield. Instead, Shunsui funneled Ise's attention to kido research; which was a productive pursuit for her since she was so naturally gifted in it; but at the same time it frustrated her. No matter what she discovered, she couldn't _do_ anything with it. The only way Nanao was going to be able to wield her near-complete mastery of kido was to transfer her to the 4th. Kyoraku and Unohana both knew that wasn't a good idea.

Still, the current situation in his office felt too familiar for his comfort. "Wanna talk about it?" he asked casually. Pressuring her was never a good thing, so he kept a carefree tone in his voice.

Nanao cut loose. "I don't get it. How the hell did Rukia-san do this?"

Kyoraku scratched his chin. He knew better than to tell her it wasn't worth the agony. "Well, everybody's different, Nanao-chan."

She glared at him. "Don't patronize me, sir. I'm not the youngest shinigami in your division anymore. I'm your vice captain."

"And for good reason, Nanao-chan. I'm sorry if I offended you," Shunsui said, sitting down at his desk. "I merely meant to imply that you shouldn't compare yourself to her. Rukia-chan went through hell and back, and you're still stuck in hell. But better to be on the way out than first going in."

Nanao was livid with him for that particular comment, but she held her tongue. Kyoraku may have been tactless, but he understood her. Both of them had unforgiving zanpakutou and knew what it was to play with fire.

"Nanao-chan," Kyoraku said, breaking the impasse, "it's all about how you use it. I'm sure the time will come when you'll be proud of your blade."

"With all due respect, sir," she challenged him angrily, "do you ever think anyone deserves to be on the receiving end of it?"

Kyoraku didn't answer that question.

***

Rukia sat down in the waiting room, eager to see her captain. She was legitimately worried about him. Rukia had arrived only a few minutes after visiting hours had begun, but someone was already with Ukitake and Kiyone. Kotetsu Isane suggested she wait.

After a few minutes, Rukia could see Komamura-sensei come from the direction of the infirmary. He nodded to her gently in acknowledgement. "I am glad you are here. I just came to visit Ukitake-san, and he asked if I would send for you."

"Is he okay?"

"He has seen better days, Kuchiki-san. But he is stable for the time being. I suggest you meet with him quickly while he has still has some strength."

She thanked him and headed into the infirmary, navigating to the room with his name on the outside. She entered to find Captain Ukitake sitting up in bed. Kiyone was sitting on the chair next to his bed by the window, holding his hand and seeming exhausted but relieved that he was okay. Captain Unohana was also there, reviewing his charts; making small notes and otherwise seeming preoccupied.

Rukia bowed. "Komamura-sensei indicated you wished to see me, Captain."

Ukitake nodded politely with a smile, and then gestured to Captain Unohana to provide them with some privacy. She politely excused herself, Unohana's warm smile disarming Rukia as she closed the door behind her on the way.

Rukia was first to break the silence. "I'm sorry for your health, Ukitake-sama, although I'm relieved to know that Kotetsu-san is here with you."

"Thanks, Kuchiki. Unfortunately, I'm not comfortable enough to chat for too long, so if you'll excuse me, I would like to get to the heart of the matter."

"Of course, sir."

"I need to terminate your current assignment to the real world."

Rukia blinked at him in disbelief. "If I may ask why, sir?"

"Captain Kuchiki has indicated that he is drowning in paperwork without a vice captain to assist him. He has requested if I could provide you on loan to serve as temporary vice captain, seeing as how I have long been able to manage the administrative burdens without a lieutenant."

Rukia clamped down on her reiatsu before her temper got the best of her. "If I understand the situation correctly, Captain, then I would like to know why my assignment has been _terminated_ rather than _suspended_. A candidate for the 6th division vice captain seat has already been chosen, and will be meeting with Captain Kuchiki tomorrow. _Surely_ after the candidate becomes acting lieutenant, my current assignment can resume?" Rukia knew she had been spoiled with the ability to spend five days a week in the real world with Ichigo, but this was _really_ suspicious.

Kiyone was trying her hardest not to shake in her seat. She could just tell that the petite vice captain was nearly about to explode. Kiyone dared not look at either of them, and glued her gaze to the floor instead. She tried to remove herself from the conversation entirely, but Jushiro-san was squeezing her gloved hand so hard she thought he would break her knuckles.

Ukitake took a long time to answer her. When he finally spoke, Rukia could tell that he was not satisfied with the answer he gave her. "Effective immediately, you are to report to Captain Kuchiki and serve as acting lieutenant of the 6th division. You can discuss the details of your terminated assignment with him, as you are no longer under my jurisdiction."

Rukia took a deep breath in an attempt to contain her growing rage. If she opened her mouth, she would say any number of things that she would regret while wearing the Kuchiki scarf.

Ukitake broke the silence. "I'm sorry, Rukia-san."

_Not as sorry as Nii-sama is going to be when I get through with him,_ she fumed to herself.

* * *

_Envy and Anger? What have we here? Will it all come clear? Next chapter: Rukia vs Byakuya. Paperwork vs Tea. Nathan vs Maria. Don't miss out! -njx_

_

* * *

_

~~Crossover Cup!~~

Today's special guest: _Riza Hawkeye,_ from Full Metal Alchemist!

_Riza: _Wow, Ise Fukutaicho is a good shot.

_Nathan: _C'mon, you can do that, too.

_Riza: _That doesn't mean I whip out a pistol every time a fly buzzes in my ear.

_Nathan:_ True, but you want to.

_Riza: _...Maybe sometimes.


	8. Tea

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Bleach.

_Some of you have indicated that you don't remember it from "Save Me, Kuchiki", but in the Kuchiki Salvation Trilogy, the Four Houses are Kuchiki, Shihoin, Shiba, and Banzo. That differs from canon slightly; where Shiba was the Fifth house that fell into disgrace. I've taken liberty and ignored the idea of a fifth house; using Shiba as the third (albeit still fairly disgraced) and my own fictional House of Banzo for the fourth. I hope that clarifies things! -njx_

* * *

Rukia stormed into the 6th division compound, reiatsu blazing in all directions. A couple of unseated officers seemed to fall to the ground as she passed, but she didn't care.

Flinging the door open with a mighty crash, she marched into the captain's office. Byakuya was calmly sitting at the desk, filling out forms. She stomped over and slammed her fists onto his desk, leaning over with the harshest glare she had. She was too angry to think about the repercussions of her behavior. "Why did you have me reassigned?"

Byakuya didn't flinch. In fact, he didn't even look up from his forms. "I did no such thing."

"You asked Ukitake Taicho to cancel my assignment and work for you. How can you lie to me?"

"I merely noted at the captain's meeting earlier this week that I could use some help with the paperwork. Ukitake graciously volunteered to provide you on loan for a temporary assignment."

Rukia gripped the desk with her fingers in order to keep her from punching her brother in the face. "What is it you want to tell me, Nii-sama?" she threatened through clenched teeth. "That you don't approve?"

Byakuya still wasn't looking at her as he signed the form and took another from the stack. "An assignment from Captain Ukitake is an order to be followed. I have no need to approve or disapprove such assignments."

His evasion was rankling her. "Is this more of your overprotective meddling in my life? Are you afraid of me getting _hurt_?" she spat, every word laced with intense contempt.

"You are the most formiddable vice captain in the Gotei 13. I am sure that no hollow jurisdiction in the real world would pose a threat to a woman of your ability."

Rukia slammed her hands on the desk. "_Damnit,_ Nii-sama! What do you have against Ichigo, anyway? Why are you doing this to me?"

Byakuya stopped what he was doing and finally looked her in the eye, his voice indicating the conversation was over. "I have nothing against Kurosaki Ichigo. As I said before, I merely need some assistance filling out the paperwork."

Tears welled in Rukia's eyes. She had lost all control of her reiatsu, and it was flooding everywhere. Rukia was so angry she couldn't speak.

Byakuya returned to his forms. "You will find a stack of forms that need to be stamped on the other desk."

Resigned and defeated, Rukia sat down. Her insides were roiled in anger. Seizing the stamp with white knuckles, she began slamming it down onto each form. She didn't care if she broke the table. Salty tears burned her face as murderous thoughts crossed her mind.

After two minutes of her abusing the desk with the rubber stamp, Byakuya interrupted the tension. "I discovered this morning that your personal assistant, Tori-san, makes wonderful tea. I was privileged to sit with her this morning and partake of it with her."

Rukia stopped demolishing the desk and looked up at him. He was still exactly where he was before, sitting and signing forms.

"I hope you do not mind, but I told her that you would regret not being able to experience such fine tea, and asked if she would mind bringing you some this afternoon."

"..._Tea_?" she inquired. This was... _unusual._

"Yes, tea." Byakuya lifted his head out of the paperwork and glanced through the window. "Ah, it appears that I have lost track of time trying to catch up on this overdue work. It is already the afternoon. Why don't you return to the manor? It would be impolite to keep her waiting." Byakuya then went back to filling out forms, letting the silence hang in the air.

Rukia lunged from her chair and vanished in a flash of shunpo.

***

Tori was waiting for her in Rukia's bedroom, a table with tea already set up. Rukia sat down and allowed Tori to serve her.

"Tori-san, what is going on? Nii-sama gave me a cryptic message to find you."

"Forgive me if I do not understand all the details, Rukia-sama, but Byakuya-sama has informed me that due to immense scrutiny, he is unable to speak with you personally. He wanted me to relay some information about what has happened since your earlier visit this week."

Rukia sipped her tea but otherwise didn't interrupt. Oh - it _is_ tasty, she thought.

"Byakuya-sama told me that earlier events this week have erupted into a scandal. The Banzo family is threatening to charge the Kuchiki family with rebellion."

_"What!?"_

"Please excuse your humble servant, Rukia-sama, but I could not grasp the extent of the details that Byakuya-sama explained. It had to do with something called a 'zotokai', but I do not know what that is."

"That's okay, Tori-san, I know what it is. What else did Nii-sama tell you?"

"I really didn't understand, but it was something that should have stayed in the Four Houses. Anyway, the point was that because Kurosaki-dono dared to infringe on the Four Houses, the head of the Banzo clan said it was Byakuya-sama's duty to kill Kurosaki-dono for his sacrilege."

_"Kill him?!"_

"Hai, Rukia-sama, but Byakuya-sama adamantly refused; so the Banzo family is charging Byakuya-sama with rebellion. I don't pretend to understand, Rukia-sama."

"That's absurd! The Shihoin and Shiba families would never agree to those charges!"

"Hai, Rukia-sama, but it would be a scandal nonetheless. Byakuya-sama is worried that it will undermine the morale of the Gotei 13 if the most well-known captain is dragged through the mud. Despite his outrage, Byakuya-sama tried to negotiate with the Banzo family. It took him several days, but was able to strike a deal."

Rukia put her cup down. "What were the terms?"

"If Byakuya-sama could guarentee that this 'zotokai' will remain within the Four Houses, then the Banzo family will not raise their accusations at the next Session for Aristocracy."

Rukia fidgeted. She had no idea things were so complicated.

"The Banzo family questioned Byakuya-sama's sincerity, and was not willing to agree to his proposal. Byakuya-sama asked if they would doubt his resolve if he forced you and Kurosaki-dono never to see each other in Sereitei or in the real world. The Banzo family agreed to those terms."

Rukia began to cry. This was too overwhelming. "How could Nii-sama do that to me?" She felt so helpless. Four Houses politics was way over her head. The little exposure she had was awful, and because of her revulsion to it she never got too involved.

Tori offered her a handkerchief to wipe her eyes. "Byakuya-sama told me that he felt terrible about this. He knows how much you love each other. When Byakuya-sama spoke with Kurosaki-dono, Byakuya-sama discovered that Kurosaki-dono was willing to marry you, just to make this all go away."

Rukia's mouth hung open. "Wuh-_what?_"

"Byakuya-sama discussed the situation with Kurosaki-dono while you were returning to Soul Society. Kurosaki-dono offered to marry you," Tori explained. "Then he would be a member of the Four Houses, and the Banzo family would have no grounds for their argument. Byakuya-sama told me he was surprised that Kurosaki-dono suggested it."

Rukia didn't know what to say._ Marriage?_ She was only 183 years old. She was too young to get married.

Tori sensed her uneasiness. Worried she had misspoke, she quickly apologized. "Forgive me, Rukia-sama, if you would not be amenable to such a marriage. I did not mean to overstep my bounds."

"No, no, don't be silly, Tori-san. I... I guess I'm just surprised, that's all."

"Surprised?"

"Yeah. I mean, _marriage?_ That's... _big._"

"Do you not love him, Rukia-sama?"

"_Of course_ I do! I love him so much I can't even believe it myself. But what would I do? He's a _human,_ Tori-san. I'm a _shinigami._ I'm over ten times older than he is. How in the world would that work?"

Tori stood and began to assemble the tray. "If I may suggest it, Rukia-sama, perhaps you should talk with Byakuya-sama. It may not have been the same, but he married someone from another world, so to speak."

Rukia sighed. "No matter, Tori-san. I can already guess that Byakuya told Ichigo it was impossible. There's no way I could marry outside of nobility. Nii-sama is probably already disappointed enough that I didn't fall in love with a Shihoin, or at least a Kyoraku. He's just humoring me. Knowing him, he figures that in another eighty years or so, Ichigo will die of old age, and then I'll just have to marry someone else."

Tori-san was hesitant to respond. The bitterness in Rukia's voice likely indicated she wouldn't listen to reason. "Rukia-sama, I must make leave now. But before I go, I must beg your permission to speak to you with candor."

"Of course, Tori-san. I never expect anything less."

In response, Rukia received a swift slap across the face. "Your brother is not so petty, Rukia-san. Go talk to him."

Before Rukia could say anything, Tori bowed to her as deeply as she could. "Please forgive my insolence, Rukia-sama, I will graciously accept your punishment."

Rukia was completely stunned, her cheek stinging. Her servant was still on the ground, waiting to be acknowledged. The Kuchiki princess quickly helped the wise old woman to her feet. "Punishment, eh? From now on, Tori-san, you are no longer allowed to call me 'Rukia-_sama_'. Only 'Rukia-_san_'."

Tori smiled. She knew this game, and was glad that her mistress was not angry with her. "It would be greater punishment to make me address you properly at all times, Rukia-_sama_."

Rukia laughed. "I never will win this argument, will I, Tori-san?"

"Never, Rukia-sama," her longtime role model teased, and left her room with a grin.

* * *

_Reviews, please - in particular, I'd like to hear what you thought of my take on Rukia vs. Byakuya in this chapter. It was a hard scene to write, so feedback on their interplay would be very helpful.  
The stage is set! Next chapter: Ichigo and Rukia both learn a thing or two about Byakuya. _

* * *

~~Crossover Cup!~~

Today's special guest: _Maria Ross_, from Full Metal Alchemist!

_Maria: _You totally stole Tori's face-slap from me.

_Nathan: _I confess, I totally did. I am a huge Maria Ross fan. And it just fit so perfectly.

_Maria: (slaps Nathan in the face) _Please excuse me, sir! But you're not supposed to steal ideas, sir! Awaiting punishment, sir!

_Nathan: _Ouch.....hey, this is _fanfiction,_ you know! The whole point is that you use someone else's ideas! Ugh. Go back to being beautiful in Xing or something, before I write a fanfic that pairs you with Brosch.

_Maria: _Oh, please no. Please, anything but that.

_Nathan: _Major Armstrong, then?

_Maria: _Er, okay, maybe Brosch isn't so bad.

___Nathan: _Don't worry, I'll let it slide this time. _  
_


	9. Hair of Orange, White, and Black

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Bleach.

* * *

_The night before_

Ichigo ran so fast to Urahara Shoten that Ishida would have thought he had learned Hirenkyaku. Jinta and Ururu were cleaning outside (well, Ururu was, anyway).

"Hey Strawberry," Jinta called. "The old fart thought you would be arriving soon."

Sometimes, between his hair and his mouth, Ichigo wondered if Jinta was Renji's brother. Which of course meant that words were lost on him; so he didn't bother. "I need to see Urahara-san."

***

Ichigo walked down in the basement. Yoruichi and Urahara seemed to be watching replays of the zotokai, Dikita Kuranaya, eradicating the 12th division captain. Nobody could remember his name, so everybody just called him Captain Who.

"So you see, if we could just get our hands on that notepad he was scribbling in, we would have so much better information!"

"Kisuke, that notepad may have been confiscated by the Omnitsukido, but it's been whisked away to the Royal Guard. Soifon can only do so much for me."

"Think its possible that we could get-" Urahara began, but then noticed Ichigo had arrived. "Ah, Kurosaki-san! What can I do for you today?"

"I need to get to Soul Society. I need to go see Rukia."

"Ah, yes. You know Byakuya-san shut off my access codes to the Sereitei, yes?"

"Eh, Urahara-san," Ichigo shrugged with a grin. "Since when did you play by the rules?"

"Well, I don't want to break the rules if I don't have to, now that they're letting me back in."

Yoruichi chimed in. "General Yamamoto is considering restoring Urahara to the captain of the 12th. There's really no one else who's got the right talents to replace Captain Who."

"Really? That's great, Urahara-san. But can't you bend the rules just one last time? I mean, I _really _need to see Rukia."

"My, my, Kurosaki-san. There's no need to do anything illegal. I'll just send you over to Jidanbo to say hi."

Byakuya's words flashed back in Ichigo's mind. _"The solution is the only one I have: you will never step foot in the Sereitei again, and Rukia will never come into the living world."_

Ichigo started laughing - a deep, hearty laugh that brought joy to his bones. _The Rukongai!_ Byakuya didn't say he couldn't go into the Rukongai! He could meet Rukia there - out where none of the nobles would ever see him! _That sneaky bastard planned it like this all along!_ I should have known he didn't have the heart to keep me away from her. That clever, _clever_ bastard. I am _sooooooooooooooo_ gonna get him.

"Ichigo, what's so funny?" Yoruichi asked.

Kon telling him to talk to his dad? He _must_ have known. Then his dad - _and_ Byakuya? _Unreal. Absolutely uuuuuuunnnnnreal._ "Nothing, Yoruichi-san. I just got totally played three times in the same day, that's all. You know what, though? I think I know just how to get even."

Yoruichi raised an eyebrow inquisitively.

"It'd be great to see Jidanbo, but I actually gotta say hello to someone else entirely - but I don't think I can get there on my own. Yoruichi-san, do you think you might be able to help me out? Join me on a little adventure?"

She looked at Urahara with a smirk. "You bet. If Kisuke makes me look at any more of this footage, I think I'm gonna make him sleep on the couch for a week."

***

_743 years ago_

4th Division Captain Unohana Retsu finally found the pesky adjuchas that had been running around Northern Siberia. She flashed in front of it to introduce herself, and it would have roared its fearsome battle cry at her if she hadn't decapitated it before it could register she was even there.

She sighed. So much fuss over such a squirt? Well, she supposed it couldn't be helped.

She was ready to pack up and go back to Soul Society when the Gates of Hell appeared. She shook her had, saddened. Retsu had always hoped that souls would be able to find peace after she was forced to clean them, but that's the way it was sometimes. Especially with adjuchas; after all, there was a reason they became such hollows in the first place. She had seen the Gates of Hell hundreds of times in the past two thousand years, but it still brought her a touch of sorrow. She knew that it was only right and proper, but it still offended her peaceful sensibilities to know that she just sent someone to suffer for thousands of years.

As was protocol, she waited until she could guarentee that the hollow had been taken through the Gates before departing. No different than any other time, the great skeleton-clad doors opened, and the shadow-demon wielded its great sword to spear the hollow through its separated head; the body dragged after it by invisible spirit chains.

To her surprise, though, she saw something she had never seen before. In all her years of seeing these austere gates open and close, she had never seen anyone other than the Great King of Hell and his mighty sword. Today, though, it was surrounded by what seemed to be a squad of cloaked figures, who wore little more than gray rags. They seemed like ordinary people, save for their blindingly white hair and eerily orange eyes. Some had long hair, some had short hair, and a few were even bald - besides their distinct hair and eyes, they didn't seem to have any sense of uniformity.

Some of them even looked at her; although most were focused on making sure the hollow and its separated body were properly pulled through the gates. They said nothing, but after the hollow had been safely pulled through the threshold, one of them oddly waved - as if to say thank you, almost - and it was accompanied by polite smiles from the others. Unohana Retsu would have thought that these spirit people were a civilized order of servants.

Although, when they pulled out various implements of torture and began to laboriously antagonize the retrieved hollow, she had trouble keeping the word 'civilized' in mind.

Eventually, the Gates of Hell closed; the poor soul's fate determined. Heavy thoughts weighed on Unohana's heart. "Minazuki, I should talk to Genryusai-kun about this."

_Mm-hmm._

***

_Back to the present_

As usual, he was sitting in the memorial room, a faint scent of incense hanging the air. Rukia noticed he was not in his captain's attire. Instead, his hair hung loose; and he wore a simple white yukata and hakama. So as not to appear confrontational, Rukia returned to her room unseen and changed into a similar casual outfit. She remembered last minute to remove her hair pin. For this conversation, she wanted to be his sister, not a shinigami.

Pausing, she laid her hand on Sode no Shirayuki, which was resting on her sword rack. Do you think this is a good idea?

_Long overdue, Princess._

Steeling her resolve, Rukia said goodbye to her zanpakutou and returned to the memorial room. To her relief, Byakuya was still sitting there. Slowly and reverently, she kneeled down next to him, sitting on her feet with hands on her knees in the traditional style.

He said nothing.

"Nii-sama."

Byakuya was slow to respond. "Yes?"

She took a deep breath. "Please... please tell me how you fell in love with Hisana-neesama."

He sighed, closing his eyes. "It is a tale filled with shame and dishonor."

"Nii-sama.... Hisana-neesama was my sister. I would like to know more about her, from your eyes. She was obviously special."

Byakuya swallowed the lump in his throat. "She was."

"Nii-sama, please - how did it happen?"

Grief hung in the air for several moments before he answered her. "I will tell you," and then he waved his hands in a familiar kido gesture to initiate a silence barrier.

Whatever he had to say, it was for her ears alone.

* * *

_Now, we're getting somewhere. Sorry for the short chapter, but the next one will be much longer, with a _lot_ of meat. Next chapter: Byakuya's thoughts on Hisana, Ichiruki, and ........**Ichihime!?**_

_**

* * *

**_

~~Crossover Cup!~~

Today's special guest: _Seras Victoria, _from Hellsing!

_Seras: _That's very brave of Rukia. I should really sit down and talk with Alucard some time.

_Nathan: _What would you guys talk about?

_Seras: _Maybe I should ask about how he met Sir Integra.

_Nathan: _Um, you could just read the manga....


	10. Matrimonial Consternation

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Bleach.

* * *

_Fifty-five years ago_

"Jii-sama, that really isn't much of a choice!"

Kuchiki Ginrei sighed in exasperation. If his grandson Byakuya would be the next one to take over as family head, he feared that the name 'Kuchiki' would become synonomous with_ 'undignified'_. Not to mention _'rash'_, _'immature'_, and _'hot-tempered'_. "Byakuya-kun, you are lucky to be offered a choice at all. When I was your age, I did not have a choice."

Byakuya rolled his eyes. "C'mon, this is ridiculous. There are at least fifty upper noble families out there, there's gotta be plenty of women I can choose from!"

"Byakuya-san, we have been through this before. You are not just anyone, you are the future head of the Kuchiki Clan. You must marry someone from one of the other three Great Houses."

"Two houses," Byakuya corrected. "There's no way in a million years I could marry that demon-cat Shihoin princess."

Kuchiki Ginrei would not tolerate that kind of talk. "Enough! That is not a respectful way to refer to Shihoin Taicho. She is your sensei, and you will show her that much respect."

Byakuya relented, sincerely regretting the fact that he couldn't control his mouth. "Hai, Jii-sama. Sorry."

"Enough of this discussion. Let me know your decision by tomorrow."

***

How frustrating, he thought.

The savory midnight air was mostly still, but the faintest of breezes was still pleasant. It carried a slight fragrance of cherry and plum blossoms, but Byakuya was more intent on listening to the rustling water. He was standing on the small bridge over the Kuchiki estate's large koi pond, hoping that the fresh air and peaceful quiet would clear his head.

It was fairly simple in his mind. He couldn't choose _any_ of them. Sure, he had always dreamed of marrying a beautiful woman, one with dignity and elegance; a trophy wife that would solidify him as the greatest and grandest noble in all of Soul Society - but that was for fairy tales. He had too much else to worry about - continuing to master his bankai, learning the Kuchiki family heritage for when he would take his place as the head of the family, and most importantly, leaving Shihoin Yoruichi in the dust.

Right now, marriage was the farthest thing from his mind. Byakuya was a career-oriented man, and he wanted to be a captain in the Gotei 13. Dabbling in women would have been fun, but he was not one to be bothered with such trivial endeavors - and marriage? Yeah, to hell with that.

His potential prospects certainly didn't change his mind. Objectively, Shihoin Yoruichi was certainly beautiful, but Byakuya could swear she was the devil herself. He knew that from all of the time he had spent training under her. You couldn't pay him to be in the same building as her, if he could help it.

Shiba Kuukaku was not unattractive, but she was hardly an elegant woman. Byakuya had no idea what her problem was, but she was a whirlwind of an emotional mess; constantly fretting and moping and whining, distraught about who knows what. On top of that, the House of Shiba was not exactly the most refined of nobility, despite their pure lineage - in Byakuya's opinion, Kuukaku-dono was very much an ill-tempered punk. Not that Byakuya was so superficial, but her missing arm did make the Queen of Shiba less than appealing. Simply put, she was damaged goods. That was the last thing he needed.

The two options above were like choosing between being fed to either a lion or a bear; but the third choice was so pathetic he couldn't even think of a reasonably good analogy. To even suggest Banzo Ichihime as a potential spouse was absurd. If someone else thought marrying her wasn't a good idea, then surely he couldn't consider it either. Besides, he had heard rumors that she had completely missed receiving even one of her parents' physically attractive traits. Trophy wife? Ugh, impossible.

No, he couldn't marry _any_ of them.

"Byakuya-sama, there is an intruder in the cherry orchard! We found someone in the trees!"

***

Byakuya arrived to find the security staff in a circular formation, quarterstaffs pointed toward the center. "Who is the intruder?"

"A young woman, Master. We found her sleeping in one of the trees."

"Is she armed?"

"No, Master. She appears to be a simple trespasser."

He motioned for them to open the formation so that he could take a better look. What he saw was a very petite woman. Despite her youthful appearance, she was a beatiful lady, with soft features and deep indigo eyes. Her dark black hair had a lustrous sheen, and never seemed to be able to stray for her face.

When she realized that he was looking at her, she bowed to her knees. "Forgive me, your Grace, I did not mean to trespass."

Byakuya knew he should have been harsh, but she was too frail - and beautiful - to inspire much anger within him. "What is your name?"

"Hisana, your Grace."

Byakuya noticed that her kimono was ragged and that she was shivering. His chivalrous tendencies too strong to ignore her plight despite her crime, Byakuya pulled off his cloak and draped her in it. "Where are you from?"

"I am from Inazuri, your Grace."

"_Inazuri?!_ That's several miles from here."

"Yes, your Grace. It is a bit of a long story. I have been searching for my sister. I lost her many years ago in the Rukongai and have been looking for her ever since."

"That doesn't explain how you got into Sereitei."

"During my travels, I became sick and sought employment to pay for medicine. In the 43rd district, I saw offers for employment to serve the Banzo family."

"So what are you doing here?"

"When I arrived, I discovered that the offers of employment were actually requests for concubines, your Grace. Someone I met along the way told me that the Kuchiki house had a reputation for treating its servants with respect and providing fair wages. I came here hoping to find a job, or at the very least a recommendation for a doctor."

"How did you get into the orchards?" he asked suspiciously. Byakuya was worried that she might be a spy.

"Someone I knew from Inazuri worked here in the orchards, a man named Mikoro. He let me in to the estate and told me to wait here until he returned."

Byakuya made a mental note to have this 'Mikoro' individual disciplined. "Guards, you said she was unarmed. Did she have any other possessions on her?"

"No, sir."

"Very well. I will take her into custody and speak with Ginrei-sama myself. Otherwise, speak of this to no one. We do not want any rumors about lax security - do I make myself _clear_?" The guards nodded quickly. They were well paid, well fed, and had no desire to lose their jobs. "You are dismissed."

The guards nodded again, and after a few minutes, the night air was quiet again.

"Please show me mercy, your Grace. I meant no harm."

Byakuya eyed her carefully. "You speak with unusually refined language for a peasant."

She bowed deeply. "I am speechless, your Grace. I have never heard such kind compliments from anyone, certainly from none of your great stature."

He was getting antsy. She spoke too smoothly to be a simple vagrant, but she was unarmed and too frail to be a spy. "You should know that by Sereitei law, I have the right to kill you as a trespasser."

She gasped and fell to her knees, placing her face to the ground and began sobbing loudly. "Please, your grace, have mercy on me! I will work off my indiscretion as an indentured laborer, or whatever other terms you wish! Please spare me! My blood is not worthy to be found on your sword, I-"

Shaking his head in disbelief, he helped the sad, pathetic woman to her feet. "Relax, I have no intentions of killing you." He passed her a handkerchief to wipe her tears, and an idea came to him. A rotten one. One so perfectly rotten that he could think of no better way than to stick it to his old man. "Although I know how you can repay me."

"Anything, your Grace."

"I have a thorny marital problem."

Hisana instantly shrank back from him. She wondered if offering her life would have been a preferable outcome.

"Wait! No - perhaps that came out wrong. See, my grandfather wants me to accept an arranged marriage. I have no desire to marry any of his proposed brides, and want nothing more than for him to get off my back."

Hisana was scared. "...And?"

"It's quite simple. I marry you instead, and then I don't have to bother."

A horrified look spread across her face. She turned and ran, but he grabbed her wrist and held her back.

"_Wait!_ I apologize, that didn't come out well either," he grumbled. I'm such a dumbass when it comes to women. "I would never ask you to... consummate the marriage. We don't even have to sleep in the same room. I would never ask you to pay your debt that way."

Hisana was not so sure. "Wuh-what? I... I do not understand, your Grace."

Byakuya felt like a total asshole. He ran his fingers through his hair, completely exasperated. _What a terrible impression to give someone,_ he thought. "Look, all I want is for my grandfather to leave me alone. I have no desire to be married to the devil, the crybaby, or the broken glass that he is offering me. I would rather marry someone who will be happy to leave me alone. We get married, you get free room and board, access to the family doctor, and that's it. After the old man passes away, we can get a divorce and you can consider your debt paid. You don't ever have to touch me once - really, I mean it."

"I- I don't know that this is wise, your Grace."

"Look at it this way, the alternative is that my grandfather asks me to turn you over to the authorities. To be honest with you, I don't particularly want that to happen. It's much easier for me to tell him I was dallying around with one of the servants and fell in love with them."

"Forgive my impudence, your Grace, but what promise do I have that you will not molest, abuse, or neglect me?"

Byakuya didn't hesitate. "_I swear on my mother's grave_ that you will never regret your decision." He hoped that even though she didn't know him at all, that she would still respect his oath.

Hisana nodded, but her face told a sad smile. "I suppose I should be happy, your Grace. Many women dream that one day, a charming prince will come from nowhere and whisk them away to be their bride."

"I'm sorry if it's not what you expected."

"Considering my crime, I expected slavery rather than marriage. Having experienced neither, your grace, I can only assume that the latter is preferable."

Byakuya laughed. "I see you have quite the sense of humor."

She smiled with a polite bob of her head. It was a graceful gesture, and Byakuya was amazed that any woman could exhibit such natural elegance and beauty. "I would like to believe that I am in enough trouble already, so I might as well be myself; your Grace."

"The name is Byakuya, Hisana-san," and changing his tone to one much more personal, he added, "and yes, please--- do be yourself."

***

Rukia was beyond floored. This was _not_ the Nii-sama she knew.

"That is how I met your sister. We were married in a small ceremony shortly thereafter. My family was very angry with me; but they relented, worried that it would look tyrannical if they did not let me marry the woman of my choosing."

Rukia was still trying to digest it all. She sat there, brain completely incapable of sending speech to her mouth.

"I did not lie when I told you it was a tale of shame and dishonor. I exploited Hisana when I asked her to marry me, and I did so for foolish, spiteful reasons."

"But... I don't understand. You loved each other. You _still_ love her!"

Byakuya looked down into his lap, a dark brooding settling into his shoulders. "Hisana was not used to the kind of life experienced by artistocracy, so for the first few months I helped her adapt. We slept in separate rooms, but I spent much of my free time with her; teaching her our customs and explaining her our history. Hisana was a surprisingly educated and well-spoken individual. I theorized many a time that she must have been nobility in the real world before she died and came to Soul Society." Byakuya sighed longingly. "It was so easy to fall into place with her. Hisana was warm and gentle, and we became comfortable in each other's presence."

Byakuya paused for a moment to blow his nose. He never cried, but Rukia could feel how he almost wished he could. "After those few initial months, she asked if I would mind if she moved her bed into my room. Hisana felt that it was awkward to behave so distant in front of the servants, and that she had trouble sleeping at night because it was too quiet. In truth, I was relieved; and so we began to live together, although our relationship remained platonic."

He blew his nose again. "After a year, I was sent on a dangerous mission and was very badly injured. I found myself thinking only of her. I realized that in my effort to exploit this woman, I had actually found a veritable companion. I was deeply ashamed of what I had done to her; taking advantage of her just to avoid my responsibilities to my House. When I came home, though, Hisana was horrified. She was distressed over my injuries, and insisted on looking after me while I recovered."

Byakuya ran his fingers through his hair. Rukia had never seen him do that before, and it was shocking to see him so fazed. Such displays of stress were nonexistent. "One night, the 4th division medic was runnig late, and Hisana was concerned. She insisted on cleaning and dressing my wound herself. I told her that it was unnecessary; that I had promised her she never had to touch me. It was then that she kissed me for the first time. I still remember Hisana's words: _'You only promised me I would never regret my decision.'_ Six months later, our marriage was consummated."

He finally looked up from the floor to Rukia, looking at her in the eyes. Rukia had only seen this look once before, the night before she was promoted to vice captain. "Hisana loved me, despite the fact that I was an immature, inconsiderate brat inside."

"Nii-sama!"

"Do not protest, Rukia-san," he interrupted, looking away from her once more. "Kurosaki Ichigo long proved to me that I must accept my mistakes. I have learned from them."

Rukia smiled at that comment. "I never thought the day would come when you would say something remotely positive about him."

"I find him... _annoying._ But contrary to what you may perceive, I do not _dislike_ the boy. It is just that... in some ways, he reminds me of my own youth. I was just like him until Hisana taught me the meaning of dignity. Except that in the end, despite Kurosaki's shortcomings, he is far more virtuous than I was at that age."

Her heart nearly flitted out her throat. "Do you mean to say that you actually _like_ Ichigo?" she asked increduously.

Byakuya hesitated. "Allow me to say that his merits outway his faults."

Rukia laughed heartily. "I'll take it." A thought came to her, and red flags went off. "Wait - you mentioned Banzo Ichihime, didn't you? She's the proposed candidate for the 6th division lieutenant!"

Byakuya's eyes widened in surprise. He was about to say something, but a bell rang outside the memorial. A servant opened the door and bowed. "I am most sorry to disturb you, Byakuya-sama, Rukia-sama ---- Shihoin-dono, Banzo-dono, and Shiba-dono are at the entrance to the estate. Shihoin-dono is invoking her right to call an emergency Heads of House meeting."

Byakuya rose from his pad, waving his hand to release the one-way silence barrier. "Thank you, Hitoro-san. Inform them I will be there shortly." He turned his attention back to Rukia, and all traces of his previous emotion vanished. The only thing that gave him away was his eyes and the subtle tones of his voice that he knew only Rukia would understand. "Good evening, Rukia-san."

She returned the gesture with a smile and an aura of the Grand Lady that she was; as proud as any Kuchiki had ever been before her. "Good evening, Byakuya-niisama."

And with that, he departed.

***

Rukia often ate meals with Byakuya on weekends, but it was rare that they shared breakfast. Rukia normally ate breakfast on Sunday in her bedroom, although occasionally Tori would join her. This morning, however, he had extended her an invitation to the dining room, where he had opted for a more elaborate meal.

She thought it was nice. After last night's unusually personal conversation, she was truly glad to sit and eat with him. Unlike past meals that were eaten together in silence, where her guilt made her eat with him out of obligation, this morning was different. It was a companionable silence; one where family members ate simply to enjoy each other's presence. Rukia noticed subtle changes in Byakuya's behavior - he seemed a bit more at ease, although most wouldn't be able to tell. He occasionally asked her to pass a tray of food, even when it was within reach; he poured tea for her. These subtleties meant a great deal to her, and she unknowingly treasured them. It felt familiar; almost as if it was no different when she ate with Ichigo, Isshin, Karin and Yuzu. Almost - but enough to make Rukia feel at peace.

Similarly, Byakuya noticed Rukia was different as well. She was smiling, something he rarely saw. She was relaxed. She didn't wait for him to partake of a particular dish first, like she usually did. Rukia ate, perhaps for the first time, like Hisana did - mindful and respectful of his presence, yet not afraid. The thought hit him and he clamped down on it like an iron bear trap, fearful that the memory of his departed wife in this context would ruin the pleasant atmosphere.

When they finished, Byakuya motioned to the servants that they could begin clearing the table, but he did not get up; so Rukia stayed seated. She noticed that he a whispered an _"Arigato, Satara-san"_ to the young woman who cleared the table. Rukia wondered if other members of nobility ever thanked their servants, let alone by name like Nii-sama always did. He had always taught her that nobility existed only because it created order, not because one man was inherently more important than another. Few outside the manor saw this credo in practice, but Rukia wondered if this was perhaps why the Kuchiki Clan was considered the most honored and noble of the Four Houses.

"13th Division Vice Captain and Acting 6th Division Lieutenant Kuchiki Rukia, I have a special assignment for you today." Rukia understood that he was speaking in his capacity as an officer of the Gotei 13, for if he wished to address her outside of this context, he would have referred to her as 'Rukia-san' like he usually did. She was a bit amused that he bothered to cite her full rank; it was quite a mouthful.

"_Hai,_ Kuchiki Taicho," she answered, implying that she correctly understood the nature of their discussion.

"I had a brief meeting with 8th Division Captain Kyoraku Shunsui late last night."

Rukia was not surprised by the timing. Nanao had told her of many a time when she was pulling her captain's sorry behind out of a bar at four in the morning, drunk as a toadstool. The idea that Kyoraku would find him after the emergency Heads of House meeting sounded just like him.

"As you mentioned yesterday evening, he is recommending his 5th seat for vice captain of the 6th division, a member of the Banzo family."

Rukia remembered the objection she had raised at the lieutenant's meeting from the day before. Knowing what she did now, Rukia wished she had outright rejected the possibility. Based on her understanding of the current political climate, she had no love for the Banzo Clan. Not to mention how awkward that would be for Nii-sama.

"Kyoraku Taicho is a perceptive man, and as high-ranking nobility he likely has insight into the current situation. Despite this, I doubt he knows the full picture, and even Kyoraku Shunsui is not beyond deception." Byakuya paused. "However, when Abarai Renji was my subordinate, he was the most fearsome of the vice captains in battle. Such assets are not easily replaceable."

"I understand, Taicho." Ugh, calling him that is going to be a bit weird.

"Last night's meeting with the heads of the other houses necessitates an emergency meeting with Captain-Commander Yamamoto this morning, and I am unable to evaluate this Banzo Ichihime personally."

Rukia didn't ask. She likely didn't have the clearance to know what the meeting with the Soutaicho would be about anyway.

Byakuya hesitated for a moment. "History has proven that you are a better judge of character than I, so I wish for you to evaluate this Banzo Ichihime in my absence."

Rukia was stunned - and honored - at this confession. Nii-sama was putting his faith in her. She never thought she would see the day that he relied on her for _anything._ "It would be my honor - both as a member of the Gotei 13, and as a member of the Kuchiki House."

He stood. "Kyoraku Taicho will meet you on the 6th division practice field in an hour." As he left, he turned to look at her in the eyes. In the past, Rukia would have noted it as unusual; but despite the rarity of the gesture it now felt natural. "I will trust your decision."

Rukia bowed her head, a swirl of emotions overwhelming her. For once, they were mostly good ones.

* * *

_The stage is set. And to those of you who are annoyed with me for the "Ichihime" gag, well, you'll have to wait for my author's notes at the end of Act I to hear more on that - I have my reasons.  
Bonus points for those of you who now realize why Byakuya respected Ichigo's oath so much back in Chapter 2. Extra bonus points for those of you who remembered that there was only one servant ever to leave the Kuchiki House for employment elsewhere. **Next chapter:** **SHOWDOWN!**_

_**

* * *

~~**Crossover Cup!~~_

_Today's special guest: Rose, _from Full Metal Alchemist!

_Rose: _That's so sad. I feel so bad for Byakuya. It hurts so much when you lose a loved one.

_Nathan: _I guess you can relate.

_Rose: _Yeah. But we have to stand on two feet on move forward.

_Nathan: _I thought these omake were supposed to be funny....

_Rose: _Nathan, your omake are never funny. You do this because you're a sorry, pitiful geek who likes to write.

_Nathan: _Hey!

_Rose: _There, there. Now stop crying, stand up and move forward. All these people are waiting to see a really badass fight; you don't want to keep them waiting.

_Nathan: _Okay.... but I wasn't crying....

_Rukia: _Liar....


	11. Clash of Houses

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Bleach.

_**Note about Chronology in the last chapter: **Some very astute readers (omaomae, for example) asked why Byakuya swore only on his _mother's_ grave, and not _both_ of his parents. Actually, the timelines for when Byakuya's parents die is unclear. All we know is that both of them are dead by the time Rukia is adopted into the family. I have taken advantage of this incomplete information by assuming that Byakuya's mother died before he met Hisana, and that his father died sometime after that. This gave me the literary license I used in Chapter 2. Those of you who are further interested in this little tangent are more than welcome to PM me. Thanks! -njx_

* * *

Ichihime could see a Kuchiki noble up ahead in the distance, but it wasn't the one she was expecting.

"Hey, Taicho, Fukutaicho - I was under the impression we were going to be meeting Captain Kuchiki."

Nanao scalded her in hushed tones, red reiatsu refracting off her glasses. "Shh! Mind your manners! I'm the one who recommended you for the position - if you screw this up, it's gonna make me look bad!"

"Relax, Nanao-chan," Kyoraku said casually, still looking ahead and pretending not to have heard the conversation behind him. "Kuchiki Taicho sent me a hell butterfly earlier telling me that Rukia-san would be doing the evaluation."

Ichihime wasn't so comfortable with that. She never wanted an impression of her filtered through someone else's eyes. Ichihime's goal was to get into that desk next to Kuchiki Byakuya, and here he wasn't even coming to meet her. For that reason, Ichihime needed to work extra hard to make a good impression. Besides, Lieutenant Glasses had always been good to her, and she didn't want to get her in trouble. Lieutenant Glasses made for a good ally. "Sorry, Fukutaicho. Didn't mean to speak out of turn."

As they approached the field, Ichihime got a better look at the Head Lieutenant. Ichihime had of course witnessed the epic battle for her vice captain's badge roughly two months ago, but she had never met the Kuchiki princess before in person. Kuchiki Rukia was a remarkably tiny woman. Ichihime was above average height for a female shinigami - almost 5'10" - so she was used to being a head taller than most of her fellow women in the Gotei 13; but this was ridiculous. Even the 5'4" Lieutenant Glasses towered over Kuchiki Rukia.

Despite the vice captain's diminutive physical stature, Ichihime felt as though she was standing in the shadow of a giant. Kuchiki Rukia was the most striking woman Ichihime had ever seen. Her hair was jet black but had a mirrored shine that almost made the woman seem like she was forged out of polished diamond. Her presence was commanding. Kuchiki's uniform was a non-standard dress with quarter-length sleeves, and the effect was oddly intimidating: this woman could wear a gown and still beat the crap out of you.

There wasn't a single shinigami in all of Sereitei who hadn't seen Kuchiki Byakuya at least once. His aura and demeanor were legendary. Anyone who met him instantly respected everything about him - his nobility, his authority, his power, his skill, his intelligence - everything. The woman before her was no different. It was like someone had made a female version of Kuchiki Byakuya, and then made her seem even more regal than he. If such a thing was even possible.

Ichihime instantly envied her. Kuchiki Rukia was everything she wished she could be. Beautiful, dignified, respected - all of things that Ichihime should have been. For really, they were no different. They were both princesses from the Four Houses. Each held the same title and rank amongst nobility. If Ichihime would be approved as vice captain, they would even share the same rank amongst shinigami.

Arriving at the field, Ichihime was first to bow, but did not speak. Her captain was the first to begin the proceedings. "Kuchiki Fukutaicho, such a pleasure. I understand Byakuya-dono had an emergency meeting with Yama-jii."

Ichihime saw the petite woman nod, but she could tell that the noblewoman was scrutinizing her intensely. Ichihime felt slightly uncomfortable.

"Very well! If I understood it correctly, Kuchiki Fukutaicho, Byakuya-dono wanted you to test her combat skills first and foremost. I have already explained to Banzo-sama that her new post will be focusing on this area of her expertise, and I tested her myself yesterday. I am sure you will find her most prepared. Anyway, enough from me, please begin!" he smiled, and then sat down on a large rock. Nanao remained standing. Instead of her usual book, she was carrying a clipboard and was ready to take notes. The 8th division vice captain's face was all business.

Ichihime rose to meet the Head Lieutenant's stare. It was oddly terrifying to be stared down by someone who was looking up at you.

The petite shinigami broke the silence, her voice lethally authoritative and lacking nonsense of any kind. "Banzo Ichihime, prepare to fight me."

Okay, well _that_ I can do. C'mon, Shiji, let's get this party going.

_I believe the line is 'Let's get this party started', Hime-sama._

Yeah, yeah; shut yer trap and don't make us look stupid.

Ichihime whipped out her zanpakuto, a brass tanto, from the sheath on her leg. "Before we start, Fukutaicho, I would like to say that I am honored to have this opportunity."

Her opponent said nothing other than "Begin."

Ichihime charged, swinging her tanto at her opponent's neck, but it went through air as Kuchiki evaded by leaning backwards. Swinging down and then across, Ichihime let her instinct take over, motions flashing through time and space as though she barely needed her five senses to press her attack.

As fast as Ichihime was, Kuchiki was faster. She hadn't even unsheathed her weapon, but had evaded over thirty close-quarter attacks. Ichihime knew that if she gave Kuchiki time to draw her sword, it would be harder for her to press her case; her tanto had minimal reach and a katana would give the lieutenant better leverage even though she was shorter.

Instantaneously, Ichihime was thrown fifteen feet on to her back. It didn't hurt much, but she was completely taken by surprise. Looking up at her opponent, she could see Kuchiki pointing at her, a smoky reiatsu coming off of her fingers. Wordless kido. _Ksa._ That was most definitely a _Hado #1: Thrust._

Okay, let's try this again.

_You need my help, you know._

Shut it, Shiji. When I need you, I'll call. I don't want to look so weak that I whip out my shikai the first time I fall down.

_Suit yourself._

"Kido, eh?" Ichihime followed with a quadruple chain of _Hado #4: White Lightning._ The Kuchiki woman easily dodged each of the four blasts. Ichihime was hoping she would at least be impressed with her quadruple chain, but perhaps that was too much to ask. "You're pretty fast," she complimented.

_"Hado #33: Blue Fire Crash Down, Hado #66: Twin Lotus of Blue Fire Crash Down, Hado #71: Lava Blast."_

_Ksa, ksa, ksa!_ Ichihime swore as she ran down the field, diving for cover behind some rocks. And I thought _I_ could chain spells pretty well, she thought. Triple chaining into a level 70? That's _ridiculous._ I mean, I know the vice captains are not to be underestimated, but I couldn't cast a level 70 hado spell even to save my sorry ass.

_You look like a coward hiding here, you know._

Alright, alright, Shiji, I'm going!

Leaping high into the air, Ichihime came down with an aerial assault, feet aiming for the woman's skull. Kuchiki waved a hand, and without a word the familiar _Bakudo #8: Repulse_ barrier blocked the attack. Ichihime did a back flip off of the barrier and landed on the ground, swinging her momentum into a wide low kick that she hoped would trip the vice captain.

It was a good manuever, but Kuchiki saw it coming and hopped over the strike, unsheathed her sword and aimed directly for Ichihime's eye socket. Rolling out of the way, Ichihime got to her feet; but she was bleeding on the cheek.

"First blood goes to you. Bravo-"

Ichihime instinctively spun around and jammed her tanto in front of her. Her instincts hadn't failed her - the Kuchiki shinigami had used senka to flash behind her back faster than she could see. If she hadn't shoved her tanto in the way, her kidney would have been eating steel.

"Time complimenting your opponent is time lost killing them," the small woman said with a flat voice, forcing Ichihime back with her katana. Despite her size, she was brutally strong. Ichihime was a skilled hand-to-hand combatant and her blade skills were excellent, so she was a strong woman - but this chibi-princess in front of her had the force of a two-ton freight train.

"What's this about killing?" Ichihime replied, struggling not to get thrown to the ground. "I thought this what about the lieutenant's seat," she said innocently, leaping back to put distance between them.

The shinigami did not answer her, and instead came rushing full force with an upswing of her katana. Ichihime was lucky she was fast, or she would have really hated the haircut she just narrowly avoided. She blocked the next blow, ducked under another, and tried to plant a punch on her assailant's kneecap; but was thwarted when said knee connected with her face instead.

Lieutenant Shorty was coming down at her throat. _Holy crap, this woman is going to kill me._ Survival instincts snapped in her, and she smashed the flat of the blade as it came down to deflect the blow, jamming it deep into the earth. Ichihime grabbed the woman's stray bangs and yanked hard, swinging her dagger arm back over to try and get her zanpakutou to connect.

_"San no mai - Shirafune!"_

The tanto's blade was inches away from Kuchiki's temple. Somehow, the vice captain had summoned a second sword out of nowhere to block the strike. On closer inspection, Ichihime realized it was made entirely out of ice. On even closer inspection, she realized it was about to stab her in the face.

_"Scream, Shiji!"_

Her tanto instantly grew into a giant boomerang, larger than most of her torso. Thankfully, it extended over her field of vision and she could hear the frozen weapon shatter against its side rather than pierce the bridge of her nose.

Ichihime took the temporary opening and threw the vice captain off of her. Scampering to her feet, she readied herself for the next phase of the battle as the Kuchiki woman pulled her katana out of the floor.

_"Mai, Sode no Shirayuki."_

Ichihime braced herself. Sode no Shirayuki was the most famous zanpakutou in all of Soul Society. Some of the newer unseated officers in the 8th had mentioned to her that pictures of it were just printed in the latest edition of the student manuals in Shinou Academy, alongside other famous zanpakutou that, by comparison, were not worth remembering. Ichihime had heard it was beautiful, but it was so much more awe-inspiring than she had imagined.

_And likely more deadly, too._

Shiji, can you keep your wise-ass remarks to yourself, please?

_Well, she did just invoke her zanpakuto's ability in its unreleased state. She's obviously dangerous. I'm just trying to help._

Trying to help, my ass.

_Yes, trying to help your ass!_

Oh, shut up.

_Tch._

"What is it, Banzo Ichihime? Do you not wish to defeat me? Take what I already have?"

"Of course I do. I wouldn't be here otherwise."

"Very well. _So be it."_

***

"Taicho," Nanao asked, her voice completely flat behind her diligent scribblings on the clipboard, "this is a fairly significant clash of power, don't you think?"

Kyoraku didn't take his eyes off the fight, but the tone of his answer was surprisingly serious. "Don't sound so worried, Nanao-chan. I'm sure everything will come to the surface."

Nanao didn't like the sound of that.

***

Ichihime scrambled as her adversary assaulted her with a furious series of strikes, all in perfect form. Due to Shiji's shikai form, she had an effective shield; but she immediately understood that Kuchiki was trying to prevent her from utilizing it as a long-range weapon.

Panting and sweating, Ichihime had no idea how this woman could be so calm. Other than the swishing of her white blade through the air, she didn't make a sound. No grunts, no screams, no yells, no taunts. Just pure, perfect, focused calm.

Desperate to get some space between them, Ichihime tumbled over into a back flip, hoping that her upswinging feet would land a powerful hit - but it was evaded. Regardless, she landed on her hands and sprung back, quickly cocking her arm and hurling her gargantuan boomerang as hard as she could. Kuchiki flashed to the side, and with nothing more than a blink had flashed into her face. Open and unguarded, the petite shinigami smashed her in the face with a mighty punch that knocked Ichihime to the floor.

Stamping her foot down, the Kuchiki lieutenant would have broken her ribs if Ichihime hadn't used her reiatsu to partially absorb the blow. Howling but otherwise not letting the pain get in her way, Ichihime took the opportunity to seize her foot, temporarily immobilizing her as Shiji returned.

Unable to take advantage of her opponent on the ground, the scarfed shinigami blocked the oncoming boomerang, but its momentum was strong enough to knock her off. Ichihime ignored her throbbing side and hip-hopped onto her feet, thankful for her natural acrobatic agility.

Shiji was still forcing the woman back. She took the opportunity. _"Erupt, Shiji!"_

The boomerang burst like a powder keg into a massive cloud of ash and flame, striking a point-blank hit. The boomerang rematerialized in her hand, and she readied to cut loose again. Astonishingly, Kuchiki was singed but retained her stance. _Daaaaaaaaaaaaaaamn,_ that woman is strong.

She didn't have much more time to dwell on it, because Kuchiki's sword was right back in her face with a flash. Ichihime knew that Kuchiki Byakuya was among the most skilled in shunpo, but she had a hard time imagining someone faster than Kuchiki Rukia at the moment.

"What are your ends, Banzo Ichihime? Did you think I would lay down and die while you trample on my soul?" Kuchiki Rukia said to her amidst the clash of weapons, her voice low but ominous.

Struggling to engage and not back down, Ichihime grunted as she pushed Shiji back against the white sword. _"I... want... honor!"_ she strained, trying to not to be thrown by the fierce strength of the woman.

Kuchiki Rukia exploded at her, hurling her fifteen feet into the air with a flick of her sword; as though the clash of zanpakutou moments ago had been like a cat toying with a mouse. A hailstorm torrent of red blazes struck her everywhere, the head lieutenant seemingly able to chain hundreds of _Hado #31: Shot of Red Fire_ spells without so much as a word. It was an insane display of power. Rapidly pelted over and over with flames, Ichihime was thrown higher and higher into the sky; the blasts suspending her in midair and preventing gravity from pulling her back down.

Eventually, the blasts stopped and the pink-haired 5th seat dropped like a stone onto the grassy field, landing with a dull thud. Ichihime was amazed that she hadn't broken any bones, but she was coughing blood; and her skin was scorched everywhere. Hell, she was lucky she still had all of her limbs and organs considering how many blasts of fire had struck her.

"Is _that_ what you want? _Honor!?_ You don't have enough of it!?"

***

Ise Nanao was extremely gifted in kido. Even as a young child, she was accepted into the Gotei 13 due to her amazing reiatsu manipulation skills. When she gathered reiatsu, she was the only one in the entire Gotei 13 who could focus the burning haze directly into her eyes, creating the signature glare in her glasses that she knew could terrify out-of-line subordinates. However, her swordsmanship and hand-to-hand skills were abysmal. This, combined with her extreme intelligence and its application as a master tactician, resulted in a career path through the Gotei 13 that left her mostly removed from combat.

Because of this, few ever knew that she was even a greater kido master than the acclaimed vice captain Hinamori Momo; who was frequently deployed. Only three people were fully aware of the extent of Nanao's amazing kido mastery: her captain, Kyoraku Shunsui; her kido sensei, Captain Unohana Retsu; and Major General Banzo Tanabi, head of the Kido Corps. They were the only ones who knew that Nanao had actually crafted an entire new branch of kido study: bahido, a hybridization of the hado and bakudo. She kept her notes with her in the large book she carried around so that she could jot down whatever inspirations came to her. However, never having an opportunity to use any of it, it was at this point an entirely academic field. This bothered her to a large extent, since she was itching to prove herself.

Nanao was always an ambitious woman. From the moment she had entered the Gotei 13, she knew she had wanted to be a captain; and her own captain was well aware. However, her next-to-nothing skill with a zanpakutou made it nearly impossible for her to achieve such status. Even the size of her zanpakuto - a small tanto - indicated that she was not formiddable with a sword. For many years, people recommended that she move to the Kido Corps, where her skills would be more appreciated; but the truth was that Nanao had made a home for herself in the 8th division, and for that reason alone, she opted to pursue her career through the Gotei 13.

That was why Nanao had always felt one of her crowning achievements as a shinigami was when she had finally achieved shikai, even though it revolted her. For a long time, she was the only seated officer in the 8th division who had not accomplished this goal. Instead she had achieved her rank on the basis of her decisive strategic and administrative skills, combined with the fact that she was, at the time, the only shinigami below the rank of vice captain who could cast a level 90 hado spell. However, shikai was a prerequisite for a vice captain's seat; and that was why she was so proud of this accomplishment. Achieving shikai meant she was finally able to become a vice captain, no matter how much she avoided using her blade.

Nanao realized back then why no one ever forgets the first time they achieve shikai. She could remember how it had unlocked a massive wealth of power within her, that first release multiplying her potential tenfold. Overnight, she no longer needed to cast those level 70 and 80 spells with an incantation. The sudden burst in her strength reinspired Nanao on her quest for captainhood, knowing that if she ever achieved bankai, her power would increase tenfold again.

It was this little bit of nostalgia that Ise Nanao recalled as her friend and colleague began gathering reiatsu. Kuchiki Rukia and Kotetsu Isane were Ise Nanao's only real friends in the Gotei 13. Sure, she was friendly with Ukitake Jushiro and her fellow kido expert Hinamori, but those were more professional than personal relationships. Her stream of consciousness immediately laughed at the fact that her only friends were the shortest and tallest women in the Gotei 13, although the laughter quickly faded as Ise Nanao refocused her attention on the 13th Division Lieutenant.

Rukia was now glowing in reiatsu. Not the typical shimmering haze, but actually _glowing._ Every inch of her, from head to toe, was beginning to burn in a retina-searing bright white. The earth quaked and the air hummed as the fabric of space and time began to curdle under the strength of Rukia's mind-shattering aura of power.

Eventually, the scorching brightness became so pure that it instantly split light, as if Kuchiki Rukia was a massive crystal prism. An enormous rainbow haze echoed and eddied off of her, trails of curling colors swirling in a maelstrom of psychedelic vibrance. Even her hair looked like it had been splattered with glimmering flourescent paint, the hues and shades bursting with such vivacious color that was so entrancing, Ise Nanao practically forgot to breathe.

It was at that moment that she realized this: if shikai caused a tenfold increase in power, and bankai increased it tenfold yet again, then... _she could only assume zotokai increased it tenfold a third time._

Nanao's brain nearly shut down at that point as she struggled to comprehend what she was witnessing. Achieving zotokai meant that Kuchiki Rukia's power was nearly a thousand times greater than the average shinigami.

***

Banzo Ichihime was glad she had been born into one of the Four Houses. It meant that naturally, she possessed an incredibly powerful flow of spiritual pressure. She never thought she would have such a need to flood the world with her soul-crushing force; and like other nobles from the Four Houses, she typically kept it clamped down so that others around her would not become uncomfortable.

Now, though, all restraints were thrown out the window. Her spiritual pressure was bursting forth full throttle, its immense power likely rivaled only by the stronger captains of the Gotei 13. But her opponent was not some random vice captain. This was a Kuchiki, another princess of the Four Houses; and unlike Ichihime, she had achieved bankai. So despite her own soul-crushing spiritual pressure, Banzo Ichihime was struggling to maintain her ability to move in the presence of this woman's aura; so powerful that it literally broke down light itself.

Ichihime struggled to get to her feet, straining her voice against the crippling effects of Kuchiki's power. "I'll earn _my_ honor!"

Lieutenant Shorty had totally lost her cool, calm demeanor and was screaming at her. _"What do you know about earning anything?!"_

Ichihime was enraged. _"As if you think your name is worth more than your badge!"_ she insulted, yelling it out as loud as she could over the thunderous roars of earth and sky cracking under their combined pressure.

She knew she hit a nerve, because the Kuchiki's sunstone eyes widened in absolute rage. Screaming with unbridled control, she came at her. Ichihime held her boomerang as though it was an oversized scimitar, and readied herself to deliver a final blow.

* * *

_Doesn't Rukia sound like a total badass when you see her through the lens of her opponent? You gotta tell me in your reviews!  
Next chapter: Can Ichigo rescue Rukia? Or will he be too late? -njx_

_

* * *

_

~~Crossover Cup!~~

Today's special guest: _Sango,_ from InuYasha!

_Sango: _Did you just steal my weapon as a zanpakutou idea?

_Shiji: _Oh for god's sake, woman; you think you've got the rights to giant boomerangs? Sheesh.

_Nathan: _Yeah, I mean, who the hell watches InuYasha? _(gets hit with 3000 rotten tomatoes) _Goddamn it, it was a _joke, _people!


	12. Royal Guard

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Bleach.

_**Important Translator's Note: **In Japanese, titles of family relations are often used colloquially for people who are not necessarily related. For example, Kon calls Rukia 'neesan', which literally translates as 'big sister'. Other examples are 'Yama-jii' ('jii' __literally means grandfather), and Matsumoto complains that her zanpakutou calls her 'obasan' (literally translated as 'aunt'), which in that context would mean 'old lady' or, more accurately translated pejoratively in that case, 'old hag'. Keep this in mind when reading honorifics so that you don't read too much into the family relations sense of it - there shouldn't necessarily be any OMG-THEY'RE-BROTHERS-WTF!?!? moments just because someone says 'Jimmy-niisan' or something like that._

* * *

_Yesterday_

"So why do you need to see Kuukaku-san?" Yoruichi asked Ichigo as they woke up the next morning in the Rukongai's grassy plains. They could see her bizarre house in the distance up ahead, giant hands holding up the great sign that now read 'Shiba Fireworks Company'.

"I have something for her," he answered, a cocky smile playing across his lips.

"I don't like that look," she teased. "You're asking for trouble, aren't you?"

"C'mon, Yoruichi-san. I told you this was going to be an adventure, right?"

"Let me just clarify that while Kuukaku-san and I are old friends, that doesn't mean I can save you if she wants to pulverize your ass."

***

When they arrived, Ganju was taking out the trash to a dumpster out back. He welcomed them in. "Long time no see, Yoruichi-san, Kurosaki-san. C'mon in. Nee-san is downstairs in the main room, enjoying some sake."

"Is it the good stuff?" Yoruichi asked.

"Dunno. She never lets me have any."

***

"Well, well, well! Look what the cat dragged in!"

Shiba Kuukaku was in a good mood. She had just made a fortune billing the 12th division for her massive fireworks display this week. Of course, it didn't matter that the whole thing was a diversion while Rukia and Ichigo went to obliterate that crazy captain. She was gonna bill the whole thing to his grave, just to spite the bastard. Kuukaku only wished she could remember his name so she could put it on the invoice, but it didn't seem to matter. They couldn't remember it either, so they were gonna have to pay up either way.

"Nice to see you, too, Kuukaku-san. Celebrating your successful display this week, I see?"

"Absolutely! Care for some? Kyoraku-kun got it for me, so you know it's gotta be good!"

"As long as you don't make me drink it out of a water dish this time," Yoruichi teased, setting herself down on the pillow in front of the Shiba princess.

"Ganju, you idiot, don't just stand there - get the lady a drink!" she yelled, hurling an empty wooden cup at his head. "So, Kurosaki-san, what brings you here? I have a feeling you didn't come to purchase some fireworks."

Ichigo took a deep breath. As much as he still had a cocky smile plastered to his face, it was really a facade. He knew he about to throw himself at the mercy of the devil in front of him, and her jiggling bosom wasn't helping his concentration. He liked to think he had eyes for only one woman, but these two flashy females always seemed to make things difficult.

"I brought you a gift," Ichigo said, reaching into his uniform and pulling out a framed picture. "I hope you like it, _Obasan._"

Both women stared aghast at him - did he have a death wish or something? - but Kuukaku took the picture warily. After a few minutes, Ichigo was totally surprised to see tears streaming down Kuukaku's face, and she began to heave in quiet sobs.

Yoruichi couldn't understand what was wrong. It was a simple, sepia-toned picture of Ichigo's family, including Rukia. Ichigo was sitting on a grassy hill in Karakura with his typical cocky smile. Rukia, Karin and Yuzu stood close by with Ichigo's father behind them, his hands around the twins' shoulders, as though he was pulling everyone close for the picture. Like most occasions that Yoruichi had seen the man, he wore a happy, dignified smile; although Yoruichi knew it was likely foreign to his kids. It was almost as if he was trying to send a signal to whoever had been holding the camera. It was a nice photo, but it didn't seem particularly out of the ordinary. "Kuukaku-san, what is it?"

"Kurosaki-san," Kuukaku whispered through her tears. "Who is this man?" she asked, pointing to the frame.

"That's my dad. His name now is Kurosaki Isshin. But before he married, his name was Shiba Isshashine."

Yoruichi's mouth hung open in complete shock as Kuukaku screamed at the top of her lungs. It only lasted a brief moment, as Kuukaku seemed to be equally quick to calm down as she was to explode. The anguished cry ceased abruptly, leaving a heavy silence in the air.

Yoruichi was speechless in disbelief. Ever since he came to the real world sixty odd years ago, she always knew Isshin was a captain-class shinigami; but Kisuke's number-one rule was _Don't ask the customers any questions._ Yoruichi had never met Shiba Isshahine back in Soul Society, but she sure as hell had heard about him. He was one of the most famous members of the Royal Guard. The only reason she knew that was because he was the appointed mentor for Hikifune Kirio when she left her position as 12th division captain over a century ago. To think that Kurosaki Isshin was actually an acclaimed member of Division Zero was beyond comprehension. To quit the _Royal Guard!?_ That's unheard of. Yoruichi knew Isshin was a bit crazy, but _that_ crazy? No wonder he was so secretive about his origins.

"_My brother... he's still alive,_" she whispered, beginning to contain herself.

Ichigo sat quietly, feeling really, really uncomfortable. This was not exactly how he expected this conversation to go.

_"GANJU!"_

The burly man came back in with a tray of wooden cups and a jar of sake. "I'm here, I'm here; no need to get violent."

She threw a wooden jug of sake at him that whacked him in the head. "Ganju--- _Isshashine is alive!_"

He dropped the entire tray with a loud clatter. _"What?"_

Kuukaku tossed him the picture. "That dumbass went to the real world, got himself married and had _kids!_"

"Nee-san, Isshashine is Kurosaki's _dad!?_"

"Yeah, that's my old man," Ichigo answered. "I only found out yesterday."

Ganju was still looking at the photo, dumbstruck. "Kurosaki-san, who's this girl with the black hair standing behind you?"

"That's my sister, Karin."

"She looks just like you when you were little, Nee-san."

"Ganju, I need more sake," Kuukaku groaned. Her stupified brother passed it to her, and she took a never-ending swig before letting her arm drop limply to the floor, bottle rolling onto the floor with a dull clink. Had Ichigo even attempted half that amount of liquor, he would have likely passed out cold. "And here I thought Strawberry's resemblance to Kaien-niichan was coincidence."

Ichigo had heard snippets about Shiba Kaien from Rukia, but she had never mentioned any resemblance. "_I_ look like _Kaien_?"

"He had dark hair, but beyond that you could have been twins," Ganju supplied.

Ichigo shifted the conversation, because talk of him looking like Shiba Kaien was _toooootally_ creeping him out. "So, Obasan, you think you can help me get Rukia out of a mess?"

Kuukaku pulled her sheathed katana out of her belt and thwacked Ichigo on the head with a devilish grin. "_First,_ if you're family, I can hit you. _Second,_ if you wanna call me some cutesy name, call me 'Auntie K.' _Third,_ damn straight I'll help you, Ichigo, you crazy bastard."

Ichigo smiled as he rubbed the large lump on his head. Now that he experienced Kuukaku's violence firsthand, it all made perfect sense. He wasn't sure if Kuukaku got it from his dad, or if his dad got it from her; but there was no doubt about it: it was definitely the family thwack. Although Kuukaku was _definitely_ faster than his dad.

***

_Back to the present_

Sode no Shirayuki's edge was infused with so much power that as Rukia swung her katana, it literally cut through the fabric of the universe. As it whizzed through the air, the molecules that passed over the blade were broken down into spirit quarks, never to be seen again. Rukia was ready to share the same fate with this despicable woman, this woman who had torn her from Kurosaki Ichigo. Her anger was not only conscious anger, but even her subconscious was flooded with fury so much that it permeated throughout her entire body. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, she thought.

Scratch that. The worst fury in Hell was like Chappy baking cupcakes by comparison to the fury she had right now.

Indeed, she would have sent this pink-haired demon to Hell, if it were not for the fact that a pink-haoried man appeared in between them, his daisho sword pair pulled and ready.

Instantly, Rukia swallowed her reiatsu straight into her soulcore. Sode no Shirayuki clanged loudly into Katen Kyokotsu, but otherwise did not do any harm. Rukia breathed a sigh of relief inside, but didn't let it show. Her ire was saved for one and one alone, and she certainly had no desire to maim or kill the 8th division captain. Her pal Nanao may have had a love/hate relationship with her taicho, but she would be mad if Rukia busted him up.

"Fantastic display, ladies! I really must admit that I haven't been this entertained in _ages._ Kido chaining, incredible zanpakutou with such amazing powers, really; I must say. You guys should make this into a movie."

Rukia and Ichihime panted, sweating. Neither spoke.

"Ne, Nanao-chan? Are you okay over there?"

Lieutenant Ise stood up and shook off the daze. It felt like Yamamoto all over again. "Hai, Taicho, I'm fine." Ugh, I really need to figure out this bankai thing.

"You know, you guys have some really impressive reiatsu there. Surely, Kuchiki Fukutaicho, you have to admit that Banzo Ichihime has potential."

Kuchiki eyed him suspiciously, but Ichihime was confounded. For the most part, she had gotten her ass kicked. The head lieutenant outclassed her in every aspect. There was no way that her captain was still supporting her candidacy, was he?

"Since we've had such a great show, I think it's time to get down to the verbal evaluation, no? Perhaps get a chance to talk to each other about where you come from, seeing as how you share so much and so little common history?"

Ichihime really didn't understand what Kyoraku was saying, but she was smart enough to know that there was some clear subtext aimed at Lieutenant Shorty. She reverted Shiji and placed it back in its sheath, and then immediately bowed deeply. "Taicho, Fukutaicho, I hope that I have justified your recommendation for my candidacy. Any fault is my own, for failure to perform to your expectations."

Rukia was a bit taken aback by this. Banzo Ichihime was a princess of the Four Houses, the daughter of family head Banzo Tanabi. Such displays of self-effacing behavior were definitely unexpected. She eyed Kyoraku carefully. "Very well, Kyoraku Taicho. Did you bring her personnel file?"

"Of course! Nanao-chan always comes prepared," he smiled lazily, his tone carefree. Nanao handed it to her, giving her a look that Rukia instantly recognized as a substitute for _"What the hell is going on? Tell me later, okay!"_

"5th Seat Banzo, I'm afraid that you owe Rukia-sama an apology," Kyoraku spoke lightheartedly. "Please forgive her, Rukia-sama. Banzo-dono is likely not aware that you came from Inazuri."

"In-In-Inazuri!? You mean the 78th district, where I was patrolling this week?"

"Yes," Kyoraku clarified. "You may not have known that Rukia-sama was not born into the Kuchiki family. Kuchiki Taicho is actually her brother-in-law. Rukia-sama only became a member of the family after she left the Rukongai for Shinou academy. _And,"_ he added, "that badge carries incredible personal sentiment to Kuchiki Fukutaicho and the entire 13th division. It is likely the most treasured gift that Rukia-sama has ever received. It's really quite a story, actually; Rukia-sama should really tell it to you some time."

Ichihime was utterly mortified. "I- I'm _so_ sorry, Kuchiki Fukutaicho. I had no idea. Please, _please_ forgive me." _Sweet mother-of-ducklings,_ she has _that_ much power and she wasn't even born with it!? _Daaaaaaaaaaaaaamn._ I am such deep crap right now. I might as well bury myself in a hole somewhere. Me and my big stinkin' mouth.

Rukia ignored her and looked in her file. _Age: 117. Family: Father, Banzo Tanabi; current head of the Kido Corps. Mother, Yohana; deceased. Siblings, None; Spouse, None. Zanpakutou: Shiji; shikai achieved._ She continued perusing the file, and emanating her best impression of Nii-sama's aloofness, asked her a question in a flat, dead tone. "Why do you seek this position?"

Ichihime bowed, but paused before speaking. "As I said before, I wish to earn my own honor."

Rukia eyed her, her gaze boring through the woman's head and into her skull. "You are a member of the Four Houses. What need do you have for _more_ honor?" There was no attempt to hide her contempt. The Banzo family was stealing her away from Ichigo, all for honor. It made her want to vomit.

"The Banzo name brings me no honor, Fukutaicho. My father has disgraced it with his petty cruelty and his insufferable arrogance. Whatever honor is associated with that house, I refuse to take any of it. I will earn my own honor; honor that belongs to me and me alone. I have fought to serve my comrades and superiors because honor is earned through dedication, devotion, and loyalty; not through lineage." Mindful to respectful, she hastily added, "Fukutaicho."

If Rukia hadn't been channeling her best Nii-sama impression at the moment, she would have dropped the personnel file on the floor. Thankfully, she held her Grand Lady pose and her aloof Kuchiki voice. "What did you say?"

Ichihime was worried she had offended the vice captain. Considering that her fate as an officer of the Gotei 13 rested in the hands of Kuchiki Rukia, she was eager to apologize; but she completely forgot her composure. "S-s-sorry! Please, I didn't mean to piss you off, really! I'm only speaking for House of Banzo, which is really just another name for House of the Giant Asshole." Instantly realizing that she was letting her 'princess speech' slip away, her head drooped. _What a disaster this is turning out to be._ She could see Lieutenant Glasses was giving her the Ise-Death-Stare. _Ksa, I suck at this._

Rukia squinted at her with newfound interest. "And just who is this 'Giant Asshole'?"

_Whoa,_ she wasn't expecting Kuchiki to say _that._ She stole a glance at Lieutenant Glasses, but her face was expressionless. This is getting _weird._ "My dad is a real prick. Every time I think of him I want to stab him in the face."

Something must have clicked inside Kuchiki's brain, because now she was coming at Ichihime with questions like an interrogator. Ichihime almost would have preferred her to go back to coming at her with a sword. "What do you know about your father's recent allegations against the Kuchiki house?"

"Wait - _what!?_ You think I know anything about my father's crap? The guy can go screw an espada hole for all I care! I would sooner clean my teeth with cat piss than have anything to do with him! I mean, what kind of douchebag actually names his daughter _'Number One Princess'_?"

"_5th Seat Banzo!_ Watch your mouth!" Ise rebuked.

"No, no, Nanao-san. It's okay - I need to hear her for who she is. I think there's been a misunderstanding," Rukia said, accidentally lapsing her formality and using her friend's personal name instead of her formal title. "Banzo-dono, I-"

"Banzo _Go-Seki_," Ichihime corrected, sensing that the tension had lifted a bit enough for her to interrupt. "'Banzo-dono' is my father, and the thought of being called by his name makes me want to puke."

The raven-haired shinigami gave her a knowing smile. "Yeah, I understand. Nii-sama once made me go on a date with him."

Ichihime's jaw dropped, and she felt intensely sorry for her. "Wow. I... I--- I don't even know how I could _begin_ to apologize for that."

Rukia laughed. "No need." Turning to include Kyoraku and Nanao in the conversation, she explained herself. "Nii-sama is currently handling some outrageous accusations that have come from the Banzo family. For a variety of reasons, it was easier for me to determine allegiances in his place. I suspect, Kyoraku Taicho, that you're not in the dark here."

Kyoraku Shunsui was no idiot. He was totally going to dodge this one before it bit him in the ass. "Ne, Rukia-sama, I may be amongst the upper nobility myself, but I would be a fool to think I could involve myself in the political matters of the _truly_ elite."

Nanao rolled her eyes. "What a copout."

"So cruel, my little Nanao-chan," he pouted. She whacked him with her fan. Rukia sometimes amusingly wondered if that folded fan was her shikai, considering how often she seemed to hit him with it. Then again, Nanao seemed to hit Kyoraku with whatever seemed to be handy. It was certainly a frequent enough occurence.

Ichihime bowed to Rukia to get her attention. "Excuse me, Kuchiki Fukutaicho? I... I don't know what my father's doing, but I didn't come here to instigate some kind of feud between the two houses. I may be a princess, but I would honestly much rather be a lieutenant. It doesn't matter whether I serve Captain Kuchiki, or any other captain. But I don't want the position because of my name - I want it because I _deserve_ it, because I _earned_ it. I hope that you and your brother will find me worthy of this opportunity."

Rukia looked to Nanao, wanting to see the reaction on her trusted friend's face. She held her gaze there even as she addressed Nanao's captain first. "Kyoraku Taicho, Ise Fukutaicho - she comes with your recommendation, is that correct?"

"With my _highest_ recommendation," Nanao noted, although there was a bit of anxiety in her voice. Her career in the Gotei 13 could hinge on whether or not Banzo Ichihime succeeded - and if Ichihime proved to be a failure, no one would trust Nanao's evaluations ever again.

"With my _blessing_," Kyoraku added, not wanting to feel like his own vice captain was sticking her neck on the line. He knew that Banzo Ichihime certainly had the skill, so he had no trouble making sure Nanao wouldn't take the blame if Banzo didn't work out.

Rukia was about to say something when a hell butterfly landed on her nose. It was ridiculously embarassing, but the message was too important for her to care at the moment.

_Class G/Q Alert: Urgent security meeting in the Squad 1 Assembly Hall. All captains, vice captains, and acting lieutenants must report immediately to Squad One Assembly Hall._

"'Class G/Q'?" Rukia asked. She was still new to some of the more unusual message codes.

"'G' is a for an ancient artifact discovery; 'Q' is for high-risk security planning," Nanao supplied.

Kyoraku adjusted his hat. "Ah, Yama-jii musta found something interesting."

Rukia nodded. "Alright, let's go then."

Ichihime bowed in gratitude. "Thank you for your consideration, Kuchiki Fukutaicho. I look forward to hearing from the 6th division."

"First of all, the name's Rukia. Second, where do you think you're going, _Acting Lieutenant _Banzo Ichihime? You've got your first grand assembly meeting, you don't want to be late."

Ichihime smiled for what felt like the first time in eternity. "Ichihime works just fine," she replied, and the four of them flashed off the 6th division grounds.

* * *

_Heh heh heh - as you can tell, this story is full of surprises. But there are many questions left to be answered - and believe me, this tale is far from over.  
Next chapter: I will only say this - **it's going to leave your jaw hanging. **-njx_

_

* * *

_

~~Crossover Cup!~~

Today's special guest: _Zero Kiryu,_ from Vampire Knight!

_Zero: _Um, what the hell am I doing here? Isn't Vampire Knight shojo manga?

_Nathan: _Oh shut up, VK has crossover appeal just like Bleach does.

_Zero: _Whatever. Remind me what the hell I'm doing here again?

_Nathan: _C'mon, you know you love cat fights. You know you had to see this.

_Zero: (rolls eyes) _....Nathan, you're messed up.

_Nathan: _Meh, you _wish_ you were cool enough to get a piece of that fight.

_Zero: _.....I am so outta here.


	13. Grand Assembly

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Bleach.

* * *

Rukia took her place next to Nii-sama in the lineup, with Banzo Ichihime on her left. Across from them, she could see Kotetsu Kiyone smiling on the other lineup next to Ukitake, who was present and standing, although he was with a cane and it looked like it was hard for him. Rukia's temporary assignment to the 6th meant that Kiyone was now back to formally being Acting Lieutenant of the 13th. Rukia could tell that as much as Kiyone wanted to be by Ukitake's side, she had missed being able to participate at the upper echelon. At the moment, Kiyone seemed to bubble with excitement just by having the right to be there.

Byakuya nudged Rukia to get her attention, giving her an inquisitive glance. Rukia whispered up to him quietly. "If you could handle Renji, you'll manage."

If his eyes weren't closed, Rukia was sure she would have seen them roll.

General Yamamoto slammed his staff down on the floor to grab everyone's attention. The room fell silent.

Such meetings were exceptionally rare. Regular captains' meetings took place every Wednesday, and emergency captains' meetings were infrequent. But as far as Rukia could tell, full-court meetings were only held bi-annually for promotion ceremonies; and even then, acting lieutenants were not invited up to the podium. She had to admit, it was an impressive display. Whatever was going on, it must have been important.

She thought of Momo-chan - the only acting captain, flanked by her 3rd seat, the acting lieutenant Hitamake Hanzo. It was a bit sad, really. Momo had taken care of her division for so long by herself. Bankai or not, she really deserved that haori. It was unfair to Hitamake, too - he deserved a lieutenant's badge for everything he did. But she also understood that it was probably for the best. Lowering the bar just so that Hinamori could get a haori would only gravely offend her. Momo-chan had a lot to prove after the fall of Aizen. Rukia knew from her vice captain's training that Hinamori was going to earn every ounce of respect she deserved the _right_ way - by proving herself. Hinamori may have been young and inexperienced by comparison to the other lieutenants, but she worked incredibly hard to get to where she was. If that meant breaking her back to earn her haori, then she would do it. Momo was the last person to be found taking handouts from anybody.

Interesting how Banzo Ichihime was the same way, Rukia reflected. Kyoraku was right - they were so different and yet so much the same. Rukia came from nothing and wished to one day deserve her nobility; Ichihime came from everything and wished one day for her nobility to be deserved. They both lived two lives - one of aristocracy, and another of their own true identities. Deep down, Rukia could tell that she had made the correct decision.

Her musings were interrupted when the captain-commander spoke. "Thank you for attending on such short notice. We have an unusual set of circumstances that demand our full attention. From what Kyoraku Taicho tells me, I am also pleased to hear that the 6th Division's Vice Captain seat has been filled, and I welcome Acting 6th Division Lieutenant Banzo Ichihime to this proceeding."

That's so nice of him, Rukia thought as a brief yet cordial applause accompanied polite 'welcomes' and 'congratulations' from the other attending members. And also quite odd, she wondered. General Yamamoto is not usually known for his niceties. The Captain-Commander must be in an unusually good mood today, although Rukia couldn't imagine what could penetrate the Soutaciho's perpetually serious air. Especially if somethng was so critical that it demanded a full-court assembly.

"13th Division Lieutenant, Kuchiki Rukia, please approach."

Oh, _ksa._ This is _bad._ Very, _very_ bad. _I am in so much trouble._ Rukia's dread fanned out all the way to her toes as she approached the Soutaicho. I think I let my temper go a _bit_ too much back there. How does Ichigo handle these ridiculous power spikes? she wondered. Oh yeah, I forgot, _he has no freaking idea_ how to control it and it just leaks everywhere. _Tch._

The Commander didn't say anything further, but 1st Division Vice Captain Sasakibe Chojiro reached forward and held out a closed fist, gesturing her to take something she could not see. Not wanting to irritate anyone with hesitation, she took it from him despite being completely puzzled as to what was going on.

Opening her hand, she noticed it was... "A ring?"

It was exquisite - it had a platinum band, with inlaid mother-of-pearl that was etched with beautiful, spiralling lines. It was well-polished and gleamed with an elegant luster, the light hinting at shades of pink and teal along its otherwise white surface. On the inside of the ring, the words 'History of Fate' were etched in the platinum, but the runes were not written in the modern script. These runes were not even the Old Script, she noticed.

In fact, the only reason that Rukia would ever have recognized the Arcane Letters of the Ancients was because Nanao (who was fluent in it, of course) had taught her the alphabet a few weeks ago. Rukia had asked Nanao to help her look up some medical kido theory, hoping to find anything that could help her progressively deteriorating captain. She had of course realized that it was pointless - if Unohana Taicho couldn't do anything, she certainly wouldn't be able to - but she felt like she had to do _something._ Maybe she could summon Kuranaya, or god knows what else. Rukia just felt that she owed Ukitake-sama for all that he had done for her. He had saved her from the grave of depression; she refused to accept that she couldn't at least try to do something.

"Yes," Sasakibe answered on behalf of his captain. "This was saved for you, Kuchiki Rukia."

"I don't understand," she said, confounded.

"Well, for god's sake, Midget, put it on! Guys don't propose to you every day, you know."

The entire assembly, save the 6th division captain, had turned to the open doors of the assembly hall. Inside, Byakuya smiled to himself - because right now, all other eyes in the room were staring at that admirably clever punk, Kurosaki Ichigo.

***

Rukia was simultaneously ecstatic and heartbroken to see Ichigo. Behind him, Shihoin Yoruichi and Shiba Kuukaku stood with arms folded confidently, but Rukia barely noticed. All she saw was _him_ - the man that she thought had been taken away from her.

"Ichigo," she stammered, not sure what to say.

"Rukia," he smiled, remaining where he was.

"What.... what is this?"

"It's an engagement ring."

She swallowed the painful thorns in her throat. "_Engagement_ ring?" she squeaked out. This could _not_ be happening. Not now. Not here. Not ever. It could never happen. "Where did you get this?"

He took a single step forward. "It was Mom's. Dad said he wanted you to have it."

Rukia's eyes swelled under the weight of burgeoning tears as she tried not to let her emotions out in front of such a crowd. Her voice, though, betrayed her stoicism. "Ichigo, I can't take this."

He took another step closer. "Of course you can."

Rukia felt trapped. There were eyes everywhere on her. "Ichigo, we can't get married."

He stepped closer, his cocky smile widening even further. "Of course we can."

She was crying now. "Ichigo, it'll never work."

Ichigo took another step. Now he was only a few feet away. "Of course it will."

Rukia's tears were blurring her vision. "The Four Houses will never allow it," she trembled. This was the worst torture. Fate was a cruel, cruel bitch.

With a final step, he was up close. Kneeling down, he was almost eye level with her. "Of course they will."

Taking her hands, he took the ring from her. Even though she was sobbing hysterically, torn from tears to the very core of her soul, she didn't stop him. Gently, he placed the ring on her finger----

---and the assembly hall around her ceased to exist as her conciousness faded into an unfamiliar inner world.

_The only person she could see was Kurosaki Masaki._

_

* * *

_

_Next chapter: HOLY FURKIN' FIRE-BREATHING FLAMING I-CAN'T-BELIEVE OH-MY-GOD UN-FRIGGIN-BELIEVABLE!_

___Or maybe I'm just lying to keep you interested. Reviews, please! Next chapter is the end of Act I, with author's notes for targeted feedback - I can't wait! -njx_

_

* * *

_

~~Crossover Cup!~~

Today's special guest: _Roy Mustang,_ from Full Metal Alchemist!

_Nathan: _Think you'll propose to Riza in front of the full military assembly?

_Mustang:_ Tch. She'd probably shoot me.

_Nathan: _By that, I'll take it that you admit you would propose to her.....?

_Mustang: _You're a real pain, aren't you?


	14. Proposal

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Bleach.

**_THANKS FOR ALL THE LOVE, FOLKS! 3500+ HITS, 63 FAVORITES, 79 STORY ALERTS, 32 AUTHOR FAVORITES - AND THIS IS JUST ACT I! YOU GUYS ROCK! Author notes and requests at the bottom. -njx_**

* * *

Rukia looked around. She was standing on a hard stone floor. It was gray; the color of cement but smooth like polished granite. The azure sky above was clear, and there was no wind. There was no sun, but it seemed to be illuminated by warm sunlight. There was nothing but hard stone floor for miles, and Rukia was unsure of where she was or what had happened.

"...Masaki-san...?"

"Welcome, Kuchiki Rukia from Inazuri."

"...Where am I?"

"In a dimension where only truth exists."

Zillions of thoughts crashed through Rukia's mind. "Why are you here?"

"This ring instructs the wearer using the form of the person who last wore it."

Oh. Well, okay then. That was unusually direct for an ancient magical artifact, but she wasn't going to voice that particular observation at the moment. "What are you supposed to tell me, then?"

"I am supposed to show you your history of fate."

"Uh, 'History of fate'?"

"I will show you. Come, let us see through the Eyes of Fate itself."

The world around Rukia was replaced with hundreds of millions of images crashing through her cranium. The sky and earth became a swirl of cinema, billions and trillions of memories whirling together, jamming them into her brain at a breakneck pace. Her five senses were completely overloaded as she had the sensation of swimming through the past, each thunderous wave collapsing against her consciousness; flooding her understanding of the universe with pictures and thoughts that only could have come from an omnipotent force that existed between dimensions.

It seemed like hours before Rukia had finally gotten used to the firestorm of images being shoved behind her eyes. When she finally seemed to have an understanding of how to navigate this world of thought, she focused, and glimpses materialized. Images flashed. She could see the great form of the incredible zotokai; Dikita Kuranaya, Guardian of Mask and Wing. The spirit with Kaien-dono's voice and face.

Her vision blurred into the past, and she could see herself through the eyes of another, although she did not know whose eyes they were.

How did Kaien come back as Kuranaya? Was it because she freed him from the espada's grasp?

No... that being wasn't Kaien. It was something else entirely. Rukia knew this for certain - she could feel it. It wasn't Kaien-dono's reiatsu. Even while under Aaroniero, Kaien's signature was preserved. Kuranaya was someone else. Some_thing_ else.

Images of Kaien bleeding on her in his last moments spun in front of her. She could see her tears from the eyes of the moon, the eyes of an ant on the earth, the eyes of Kaien himself. She could feel the sensations felt by the bacterium on her hands as his life's fluid seeped out around the single-celled organism. Rukia heard his voice with her own ears, feel the sounds vibrating in the air as though she had echolocation, and recalled his parting words from within Kaien's own mind.

Her thoughts were instantly severed from the harrowing memory as Rukia remembered the last day of vice captain's training. She remembered how unique that day was. The day she felt Kaien-dono's spirit in the air. The day she achieved bankai, breaking Sode No Shirayuki's fixation over her past, overcoming her hesitations, fears, and anxieties; huffing in Ichigo's face and telling him that she could take care of herself.

_Ichigo._ Images of her turning him into a shinigami. Stabbing him through the heart. His inability to control his own reiatsu so that even his unreleased katana was as big as Zangetsu's constant shikai form. Soul infusion. Her powers fusing with his; her heart's crimson thread passing through the blade and into his soulcore.

Rukia smirked at that last thought. How could someone let them stab them through the heart? He must have been crazy.

_Kuranaya._

A melding of zanpakutou.

The breakdown of boundaries.

A zotokai.

The common thread between Rukia and Ichigo.

The common crimson thread.

The soulcore. The heart of man and woman. The domain they had in each other's hearts.

Hearts. Ichigo's heart. Pierced. No one lets someone stab them through the heart.

Unless....

_Kuranaya._

Ichigo - how old was...?

_Dikita Kuranaya._ The common thread. His face. His voice.

When... Kaien...... when did...?

**_!_**

***

Rukia's consciousness returned. It was if not a single moment had passed, and the pervasive gazes from the Gotei 13 elite were surrounding her.

Fresh tears of joy streamed down her face. "You're a member of the Four Houses," she sniffled.

Gasps echoed throughout the room. Yoruichi and Kuukaku, however, shared the same cocky smile that Ichigo had.

_"I stabbed you through the heart,"_ she announced proudly, recalling that fateful day.

The captains and vice captains all looked a bit nervous, but Ichigo's smile didn't falter. In fact, it beamed brighter. He continued to hold her hand, twisting the ring around her finger. It fit perfectly. She fit him perfectly. Fate fit them perfectly.

Rukia's voice fell soft. "Then---- t_hen_ _I found you fifteen years later in the world of the living and did it again._ Ichigo-- you---- _you were Shiba Kaien."_

Ichigo didn't wait for the shock to set in amongst the officers standing beside them. "Marry me, Kuchiki Rukia. Let no one ever have a reason to question us again."

Her smile was so wide, and her tears so pure, that Kuchiki Rukia burst out a laugh between her tears. "Kurosaki Ichigo, if my first kiss is in front of all these people, I _swear _I will make you wear a Chappy hat to the wedding."

The hall erupted into cheer. Even Byakuya was applauding with a sly smirk on his face.

Ichigo didn't take his chances with a kiss, but scooped her up in his arms and spun around. She clutched his neck in mock terror, blushing in embarassment; but he ignored her very vocal protestations as he had never been more happy in his entire life.

Kyoraku broke out into song - something that Ichigo had never heard before, but everyone else seemed to know. Within seconds, almost everyone had joined him. To his utter shock, even the normally bland Sasakibe sang, and he actually had a fantastic voice.

Ichigo put Rukia down and she looked at him with happy, yearning eyes. He could barely hear her over the mirth, but he could easily tell what she was saying, just from mouthing the words. "I love you, Idiot."

"I love you too, Midget."

She rolled her eyes, and then sunk into his arms to feel his warmth.

* * *

_"Hey, if death really isn't the end, then that may not have been the very first time we met. Maybe we've been linked together for a lot longer._

_"I can't say for sure, but I think that once a bond is formed, it never disappears. So even if we forget everything, we'll be joined together again someday."  
_

_~ Kurosaki Ichigo to Kuchiki Rukia;  
one of the last scenes in the third Bleach movie, "Fade to Black, I Call Your Name"_

**_And thus the white and black swords fall - Fate's Curtain closes, for here endeth Act I._**

**_

* * *

_**

_AUTHOR'S NOTES_

Hey everybody! Liking the adventure so far? I am! And the good news? It is _far_ from over.

**Quick special thanks to two authors of epic tales that have been both an inspiration and a great encouragement:  
**the spunky and gifted **_Alliryan_** and her tale 'Hell Butterfly',  
and the illustrious and amazingly talented **_Fading into the background _**for 'Skeletons in the Closet'.  
These authors - dare I even say comrades - have wonderful stories that I encourage everyone to read. There's no way I could have written 450 pages of fanfiction without first knowing that there were others out there as crazy as I am. ;D

_AUTHOR'S NOTES FOR REAL THIS TIME_

1. There is tons of evidence to suggest that Tite Kubo will eventually reveal that Ichigo really is the reincarnated Shiba Kaien. There are clues both obvious and subtle littered throughout the canonical manga, and although the 3rd Bleach movie, Fade to Black, is not canonical, Kubo had much heavier input into it than he did the first two. It seems obvious to me that this quote from the end of the movie is a clear plant from the mangaka himself.

In fact, I planned this particular reveal AGES ago. Those of you who are curious, go back and re-read _Save This For Kuchiki._ If you remember Rukia's last day of vice captain's training, you'll remember that she feels Kaien-dono's spirit in the air - _that was the day that Ichigo came into Soul Society._ After being separated from him for six weeks, the reintroduction of Ichigo's reiatsu nearby felt significant - but she was so wrapped up in the emotions of her lieutenantship that she unconciously mistook them for Kaien's. There are several other tip-offs in that story and in _Save Me, Kuchiki, _too. So I've actually been planning this particular reincarnation bit for a long time. Consider going back and reading those stories with what you know now.

2. Speaking of, it should now be clear why Dikita Kuranaya in _Save Me, Kuchiki_ looked like Kaien. He's the common thread between Rukia and Ichigo - Kaien's soul was bound to both; rereading the portion of the manga where Kaien describes the bond between two people as 'heart' should clarify this. In fact, my whole zotokai idea came from watching the aforementioned Bleach movie, Fade to Black. Rukia gave Ichigo her powers, then he gave her back his; thus the 'melding' of powers and bidirectional soul infusion; etc. In the end I decided to build my tale around only the canonical aspects (e.g. only soul infusion from Rukia to Ichigo), but the idea came from that movie (which I loved and adored and watch all the time).

3. Everyone by now is _completely_ curious to hear me talk about my 'Ichihime' gag. Anyone who follows my stories know that I take the time to market them a bit, crafting flashy bylines for each chapter release, putting 'next chapter' teasers, try to update at least once a day to keep you all salivating, etc. When I thought about the fact that my series is clearly so IchiRuki oriented, I figured I wanted to woo the IchiHime crowd a bit. I had a female OC that needed a name, and 'Ichihime' fit _perfectly,_ so I did it. Although you may find it a lame play, you have to admit it's a clever strategy to attract readers. :)

That being said, Banzo Ichihime has much more to contribute to this story; don't think that because she was named after a marketing trick that her role won't be serious. Anyone who remembers that Tori was originally in _Save Me, Kuchiki_ and then played an important role in this story should be proof: it's not worthwhile for me to bother creating OCs that I won't use well. In fact, anyone who's read the first two tales in the Kuchiki Salvation Trilogy knows that lieutenant's badges are not trivial items in my stories. So stay tuned. I've had a lot of fun crafting Ichihime's character, and I'm not about to let that go to waste.

4. There are most definitely LOTS of unanswered questions that you're pinging me about. I promise you, they will all be answered (at least I think they will). Everybody is asking me about Nanao's place in the plot. Just wait, we'll get there. We haven't even scratched the surface with Byakuya yet, and Ukitake hasn't even had his day in the sun. Don't even get me started on Kiyone; she's not done yet either. Hell, even Kotsubaki gets some love.

This tale is EPIC. After all, Ichigo and Rukia are getting _married._ You don't think I'm going to write a wedding in here? There's a whole lot of stuff that's gonna happen, and all of it is gonna be AWESOME. And if you think you've been told everything there is to know about that ring, well let's just say you don't know the half of it. Also, there is lots of great comedic moments coming, too - some so side-splittingly funny that you'll regret it if you miss them.

5. As with _Save This For Kuchiki_ and _Save Me, Kuchiki, _the titles have multiple meanings; even though they are titular quotes in each tale (this one being no exception). You'll see a lot of this play out over the story. I encourage those of you with more academic perceptions of literature to see if you can find all of the hints I've layered in.

6. I apologize about the language. In my first two stories, I tried very, _very_ hard to keep the language as clean as possible. You'll notice that I always tend to avoid overly crass language, especially if I'm not in the middle of verbal or mental dialogue, since I firmly believe it's a crutch to good storytelling. I've always tried to describe things with a fairly mature air, but this story has some raw emotions (as well as Ichihime's ultra-punk character) that necessitate some harsher language to provide the right flavor. I will say now that I will continue to try and avoid it when I can, but expect a bit of indecent language from time to time.

7. I have no idea how people write for Momo Hinamori. I just cannot get her character right. She's supposed to be a close friend of Rukia in this story, so I felt obligated to include some chummy-pal time between her and Rukia, but man, that is so tough. So if I bomb out on Hinamori, please forgive me.

8. Yeah, I'll say it again: in this story, Nanao Ise is _most definitely_ not a wuss.

**PLEASE GIVE ME DETAILED REVIEWS FOR ACT I. In specific, I want to hear opinions/feedback on as many of the following as you have patience for:**

1) Did you like the Ichihime-is-not-a-bad-guy twist, or was it lame?

2) The Ichigo-is-the-reincarnated-Kaien twist: predictable, mind-blowing, or I-possibly-expected-it-but-wow-that-was-so-amazing-anyway? Tell me what you thought!

3) What did you guys think about the twist with the ring? Like it? Hate it? Whatever? That cliffhanger with Masaki actually _killed_ you, didn't it? ;D I just knew I wanted a grand WTF moment in there to prolong the suspense. I had actually considered using Hisana for that piece, but Hisana had some screentime already and Masaki was just waiting for some; so when the idea came to me I knew it would be perfect for throwing everyone for a loop.

4) Plot twists in general - as you can tell, I've done a lot of misdirection in the story so far: who was the real villain? Byakuya? Nanao? Ichihime? That question hasn't been quite answered yet, but my intent was to keep this from being overly predictable. Most "Ichigo & Rukia Get Married" stories are predictable at best, so I wanted this one to keep people on their toes. Did the misdirection work at all? Were you ever fooled? Do you like the weaving in-and-out of mystery? The greatest compliment you can give me is to tell me that, "OMG, I never have any idea of what's going to happen next!" because that lets me know that the drama is good enough to blow your mind.

5) Do you guys like the Crossover Cups, or am I just wasting words here? Sometimes I love it, sometimes I hate it. It's a hit-or-miss thing for me, but I'm curious to know what y'all think. If the rest of you all hate it, I'll retire them, but if you like them, I'll keep up with them.

6) _**Important:**_ Although Act II will have a relatively narrow cast, Act III will have nearly _everyone_ in it. Although I have written the whole story, I wanna do y'all a bit of service and make sure I cover the character you want to see; and there's still plenty of time for edits. (Although regardless of whether or not you ask for someone, most characters will be in Act III anyway.) So, for example, if you're a _____ fan and want to see more of him/her, well, NOW'S YOUR CHANCE TO TELL ME!

No promises, but I'm doing this for you guys; 'cause y'all like to share the love so much. So if there are any Rikichi fans out there (you have to be kidding me, right?), speak now or forever hold your peace. Just to clarify: I'm not afraid to make inside jokes to the anime, but this trilogy follows canonical manga history; so if you ask me for Ririn or Cloud or Princess Rurichiyo, you're outta luck, buddy. :)

7) Comments on technical execution: writing style, word choice, phraseology, etc. Contrary to popular belief, English is _not_ my primary language. In particular, I don't get much critique about my writing style, so it's hard to know what to improve.

**I'm sorry I don't have time to respond to every review comment, but I'm too busy editing stuff to get it up for you to read quickly; so I'm sure you'll forgive me. :)**

Peace out - next, we begin Act II.

Don't be surprised if I take a day between updates, it will be coming soon, I promise.

Don't be surprised if the story shifts focus a little bit.

Don't be surprised if it starts off a bit slow.

**And most of all? **

Don't be surprised if Act II makes you crave for more.

-njx


	15. Discoveries

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Bleach.

_Ready for Act II? Heh heh heh ---- this is gonna be fun. Thanks to all of you who gave such awesome reviews. I couldn't do this without your support and encouragement. -njx_

_

* * *

_

_"Kuchiki, that's why you must never, ever, ever die alone."  
~Shiba Kaien_

* * *

Several moments later, as the singing died down, a seemingly bored Omaeda raised his hand and asked a question. "Okay, so that was great and all, but I can't imagine that we called an emergency full assembly just for _this_?"

Yamamoto slammed his staff down. The court went to attention, everyone lining up as before; except this time Rukia and Ichigo were still in the middle, with Yoruichi and Kuukaku taking tail ends of each line. "_Absolutely._ It is _not_ the purpose of this meeting, although it _is_ most certainly related. Since it is likely that many of the guests will be the uppermost officers of the Gotei 13, it is imperative that we plan proper, comprehensive security measures. There would be no way to plan for such an event without the full company of captains, vice captains, and acting lieutenants present. And, _Vice Captain Omaeda,_" Yamamoto continued, "since you have noted your extreme dedication enough to interrupt the festive mood, I am happy to accept your gracious offer to volunteer as head of the wedding's security detail."

Aw crap. Me and my big mouth, Omaeda thought. Now I'm gonna miss all of that awesome food.

***

Ise Nanao was oddly elated. It was a funny feeling.

Nanao had a hard life filled with the bitter realities of truth. As a military brat, she saw friends die, lovers disappear, and role models cruelly torn from her via awful fate. For the most part, she grew up alone; actively separating herself from the world around her to minimize the pain when they would all die. Nanao learned this lesson the hard way at the very beginning of her career and early on in childhood, suffering badly when Lisa had disappeared. By the time she had discovered that Lisa was still alive, it was too late - Nanao had already been shaped by the pain, and had long compartmentalized any remnants of a relationship she had with the vaizard over a century ago.

The first friend she really made was Kotetsu Isane, roughly forty years later. When the Kotetsu sisters appeared in Soul Society around eighty years ago, Isane promptly entered them into the Shinou Academy in order to escape the perils of the Rukongai. Kyoraku Taicho had asked Nanao to help integrate Kiyone, seeing as how there were few shinigami as young as she and Nanao were at the time. While Nanao and Kiyone had clashing personalities - Kiyone was far too immature for her - Nanao had befriended the older sister Isane, who had a warm soul and a caring, unthreatening personality.

Oddly enough, it was the fact that Nanao and Isane were such opposites that made them such good friends. Isane could fight reasonably well, but she didn't like to. Nanao, on the other hand, was trained her entire life to kill. Ise took pride in killing things; be they hollows or whatever else her superior officers may theoretically ask her to do. To her, it was morally wrong not to kill when one was supposed to. It was her duty, and a military didn't function unless _someone_ did the killing. If it was her turn, so be it. Because of this upbringing, Isane was a good influence on her; allowing her to see things through a different set of eyes.

It was a touch of humanity that came during Nanao's teenage years. Without Isane's influence, Nanao was sure she would have left Rukia to be executed back during the ryoka invasion, despite the fact that the circumstances around it were so suspect. Had that happened, Nanao would have been deprived of a great friend; and she was ever thankful that Isane had opened her to the hearts of others. It had been hard revisiting the pain when she let get of her detachment, but Isane had helped her through it.

Normally, Nanao would have been too independent to ask anyone for help, but after a decade of friendship with Isane, she felt okay asking her for swordsmanship training. Isane was not exactly 11th division material, but she had far better zanjutsu skills than most 4th division members. Nanao was so terrible with her puny little knife that she likely could have been beaten by a first-year Shinou Academy student, anyway. Isane was never judgemental, though; which made it easy for Nanao to ask her for help. To this day, Nanao and Isane still sparred occasionally with bamboo poles for practice, although Isane always bested her.

Yet, as close as Nanao was with the older Kotetsu, Nanao had found a connection to Rukia that was just as deep and even more natural. They both had a hard shell that was tough to crack. Despite that, Rukia could understand Nanao's darker nature; the unwillingness to withhold force when the moment called for it. At the same time, Rukia was blissfully naive about some things, and she had a good heart.

Nanao couldn't put her finger on it exactly, but for whatever reason, they had just clicked. Nanao reveled in it. Since Lisa disappeared, she had always been so alone. Kyoraku cared for her, but that had always been an awkward relationship. Isane was a workaholic who still made time for her, but it took an effort on both of their parts to keep up to date on each other's lives. Nanao never just 'clicked' with anyone before, but Rukia took an instant liking to her; and despite their friendship being only two months old, it was reassuring and comfortable.

Right now, Nanao felt alive. Her best friend was going to get _married._ It wasn't just someone she knew, someone she worked with, someone who was important enough to be cared about - this was her _friend._ Her _best_ friend. And Nanao couldn't help but feel like she was experiencing the overflowing happiness. She didn't know why, but she did. It was a novel feeling, and it flushed away the bitter mood that had been brooding over her since yesterday. _Rukia was going to get married!_ Nanao couldn't believe it; she was so excited that she was practically giddy - and Nanao was _not _the type of woman who became giddy over anything.

After the full assembly meeting, Rukia made Kurosaki explain everything - about how he found out he was a Shiba, Byakuya's loophole, Yoruichi and Kuukaku convening an emergency Heads of House meeting, and then Byakuya convincing the Soutaicho to hold a full assembly. Rukia had invited Renji, Nanao, and Momo along with Ukitake and Kiyone to hear the details, relaying the pieces that she had seen; how the ring had explained to Rukia about it's own history. Isshin had used it to teach Masaki all about shinigami, so she knew what she was getting into. Nanao thought it was a wild story, but truth was stranger than fiction.

As the tale began to wind down, Captain Kyoraku tapped her on the shoulder and discretely spoke in her ear. "You should ask Rukia-chan if you can help plan the wedding."

"I beg your pardon, sir? I have duties to the 8th to attend to."

"You overwork yourself as it is. Ne, you know you want to. It'll be a pleasant distraction."

She glared at him with a look that could have killed a vasto lorde. Nanao's pitiful progress on her bankai training was a sore topic.

Ise wondered how Hisagi beared it. Hisagi Shuhei was an incredibly formiddable lieutenant. In particular, his raw skill with a sword was unmatched amongst the other vice captains. He fought with superb swordplay of his unreleased katana, because he, too, detested his zanpakutou. Yet, he had _still_ mastered it in both unreleased and shikai forms. Nanao didn't know if Hisagi was training for bankai, but she didn't doubt the likelihood of it. After he had been gravely injured in the Winter War, he had even more of an incentive to grow stronger than she did: unlike her, he was often on the front lines.

"_Whoa,_ Nanao-chan. Don't get so mad at me - I'm serious. You've been underchallenged for a while. Planning a wedding would be a good outlet for you. It might even help."

Nanao actually considered it for a moment. The more she did, the more she liked the idea. It was going to be a ridiculous amount of work, for sure; but Nanao excelled at planning and preparations. Kyoraku Taicho was right - Nanao was definitely not using her full potential. This would be a good way to remind herself of the grand things she could accomplish, rather than dwelling on how she was failing miserably at subjugating her zanpakutou.

She softened her gaze. "You think Kuchiki Taicho would let me?"

"Are you kidding me? Is there anyone who could do better than my kawaii Nanao-chan?"

Nanao watched the trail of laughter, hugs and warm wishes fondly as her pal headed off with her fiance. _Wow,_ it's so exciting just to say that! she thought. I haven't been this happy in a long time.

"Kyoraku Taicho," she asked, her voice uncharacteristically vulnerable as she choked on her words, "is... is this how it feels when you want to celebrate with family?"

He put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Hai," he said quietly. "If Juu ever gets better, you can bet I'd feel like you do now."

She nodded quietly. To Kyoraku's pleasant surprise, she let him keep his hand on her shoulder.

As soon as the fanfare left, Ise Nanao headed straight to the library. Nanao didn't want to ask Rukia until she first knew what she was going to be committing herself to. She had a lot to learn about planning for a Four Houses wedding, and Nanao didn't want to go one second longer without the comfort of a book in her hand, teaching her new knowledge and expanding her horizons.

_Can I help?_

You want to help me?

_Of course I do!_

And just how do you propose to do that? Stab the books and read them via osmosis?

_Very funny,_ it answered with a saturnine resentment.

Nanao smiled. Maybe this would be a good thing after all. She liked it when her zanpakutou was forced to admit who was the boss.

***

They were accompanied by an honor guard of 13th division shinigami, so Ichigo knew he wasn't going to be able to sneak in a kiss. Instead, he settled for a hug. He wasn't thrilled - he didn't have a moment alone with her in Soul Society longer than three nanoseconds - but he knew Rukia needed to stay to plan for the wedding, and he needed to help his family at the clinic; especially since Rukia wouldn't be there.

However, Rukia would come for dinner in three weeks - _with Byakuya._ That thought terrified him. He feared that Byakuya would come in through the front door to hear a flying, jump-kick-laden _"III-CHII-GOOO!"_, and then go Senbonzakura all over his dad's goofy ass. Still, there was no way he could get married without the two families meeting first. It would have been wrong. On top of that, he needed to figure out what the hell he was going to tell Yuzu.

"Hey, Beautiful."

"Yes, my overly sentimental orange-headed fiance?"

"Tch. My nickname is nicer."

"Whatever, Strawberry," she teased. "I'll miss you."

"Fifteen years, and you can't wait three weeks, huh?"

She give him a deft scorpion kick to the cheek.

"Yeah, yeah, I'll miss you too," he said, rubbing the bruise on his face.

"Much better," she winked. "Later, Ichigo."

He smiled. "Later, Rukia," and he passed through the gate.

"You guys have the strangest relationship, you know that?" Ichihime commented from behind her. Rukia didn't even know she was with her. She had been too focused on her fiance.

Unbelievable, she chuckled. She never thought she would be saying the word 'fiance' ever. "Tell me about it," Rukia teased, twisting the ring around her finger. It felt perfect, almost as though he had never left.

"Well, he sure has a set of cajones. Popping the question in front of General Ancient and Captain Bya-kun, eh? That takes _balls._"

Rukia stared up at her. "You've really got a mouth, don't you?"

Ichihime sighed, sullen. "Yeah, I know. Lieutenant Glasses warned me fifty times today to watch my tongue before we met up with you. And I _still_ screwed up."

"Does Ise Fukutaicho know you call her that?"

"She caught me once, but shrugged it off. Something about how it was better than what Captain Pink calls her, since at least I bother to recite her rank."

Rukia shook her head with a laugh. Banzo Ichihime was like a female version of Kurosaki Ichigo. Nii-sama is gonna _love_ this. "So what do you call me behind my back?" she asked with a knowing smile.

Ichihime smirked. "Well, it seems like Kurosaki already took 'Midget'. But don't kill me if I let slip a 'Lieutenant Shorty' once in a while."

Rukia rolled her eyes with a grin. "If Nanao-san can put up with it, I suppose I'll manage."

Ichihime slapped her on the back. "Thanks for giving me a chance, _Lieutenant Shorty._"

"Just watch your tongue in front of Nii-sama, _Vice Captain Pottymouth,_" she retorted, and the two of them bantered all the way back to the 6th division compound.

***

Ise Nanao could not believe what she was reading. Were her answers right in front of her? Her ambitions, her aspirations, her dreams - could that be possible?

Her other half interrupted her. _Sister, don't even try._

"Why!?" Ise yelled at the dark-haired, red-eyed teenager, slipping into a mindlink so she could continue this conversation face-to-face.

_It's not like you can run away from me. You can't change who you are. I will dwarf anything you try to pretend to be._

Ise drew her tanto and charged. Her zanpakutou drew her own version of the weapon, and the pathetic knife fight began. Nanao swung high and low, trying to find an opening. She knew her other half could have slit her throat in three seconds flat if she wanted to - but Nanao also knew she was being baited. "What is it that you're not telling me!?" Nanao yelled at her; but her zanpakutou didn't say anything and continued to circle her, knife ready for Nanao's sudden charge.

"I won't deny who I am," Nanao continued coldly under locked daggers, the strain beginning to contort the golden blades that were not meant for this kind of stress. "But you need to tell me first!"

The teenager pulled back out of the fight, face sad with doubt and yearning. _Will you ever depend on me?_

Ise thought hard. This was not an easy question. She wanted to answer 'no' but knew it was the wrong answer. On the other hand, answering 'yes' would condemn her humanity. Depending on her zanpakutou was a dark path.

Breaking the mindlink, she looked down at the ancient tome she was reading, and the answer came to her. It was a shockingly brilliant realization. It was speculatory, of course, but Nanao was positive that she had figured it all out. _It had to be._ If Nanao had been reading this yesterday, it would have been just a hunch - but given what she knew now, she was certain she found the answer.

For the first time, Nanao felt like she could win the fight. "A master tactician wins via a battle of wits rather than a clash of blades, isn't that right?"

_Of course. There's a reason we normally settle fights through chess._

"So then it's simple. I finally figured out how to beat you."

_Really, Sister? What makes you so sure?_

"You're just like me. You want to end the fight before it even begins - so you stack the rules against me, make it impossible, up the ante, never give a hint. All of it to despair me into thinking that I could never win," Nanao smiled, fingering the pages in the musty old tome. She had the urge to start singing her favorite aria, something Nanao tended to do when she was feeling particularly confident.

"The answer is simple, really. You never wanted me to play fair in the first place. So I'll just cheat."

***

_Approximately three weeks ago_

Hajimata Percival surveyed his territory. It was getting harder and harder to find those with pure lineage, but this particular candidate was very interesting. At first, Percival had been worried that his new recruit wouldn't be able to handle the job - this was unsavory business, after all - but it had worked out much better than he had expected. Although, he supposed the assignment had something to do with it.

Not too many people have the privilege of overseeing Espada, Hajimata thought. It was a good thing he found the right person for the job.

* * *

_This chapter is a small bridge out of Act I and into the core of Act II. Next chapter: Ever see the movie 'Meet the Parents'? Yeah, well, Byakuya's coming for dinner._

_

* * *

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~~Crossover Cup!~~

Today's special guest: _Black Star, _from Soul Eater!

_Black Star: _What kind of little author are you to think of including me in here? I'm too big for you to trap me in an omake!

_Nathan:_ You know your initials are "BS", right?


	16. There's a First Time For Everything

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Bleach.

_Quick notes:_

_ 1) __I've gotten about 100 reviews/messages overnight - please be patient while I get back to you with answers - I'm sure you would all prefer that I get chapters up first. :) _

___2) Reminder that th__is entire trilogy takes place AFTER the Winter War and Aizen's defeat (at the hands of Ichigo), for those of you who couldn't remember._

_____3) Ichigo's reaction to the news about his past life will be explained in a later chapter, so don't worry, I haven't "missed" anything._

___Thanks for all the love! -njx_

* * *

_Fifty-two years ago_

"Kyoraku Taicho...?"

"You alright, Nanao-chan?"

Nanao sat up in bed. Her knee was a bit stiff, but she was otherwise okay. "Yes, sir."

"What happened back there?"

Nanao replayed the incident in her mind, trying to choke down her fear and shame. "The music, sir. I could hear the singing."

Kyoraku didn't dare reveal that Shiba Miyako's report included no mention of music or singing. "What else?"

"My zanpakutou, sir. She said she would tell me her name if we went inside."

Kyoraku was surprised. "_What?_ You mean you don't know the name of your zanpakutou yet?"

"No, sir."

"Do you talk to it?"

"Every day for the last sixty-one years, sir."

"And you still don't know its name?"

"No, sir."

"Did you ever ask its name?"

"With all due respect, sir, I'm not an idiot."

Kyoraku kept tabs on Nanao-chan - he felt responsible for her after Lisa-chan had disappeared - but he thought she was just keeping it a secret from him. She was a pretty secretive shinigami in general; he never would have believed that she hadn't achieved shikai. She was one of his best officers; even better than some of the top seats - but even Shunsui's 20th seat could turn his katana into a pike. "How did you get to be a 7th seat again?"

"I demonstrated to Lieutenant Onabara that I could cast Hado #90: Black Coffin."

"Are you serious?"

"Well, I needed an incantation, sir."

"Incantation or not, you can cast a level 90 hado spell!?"

"Yes, sir."

"What the hell has Unohana Taicho been teaching you?"

Nanao ignored the tactless comment for the time being. "Foundational theory of abstract interdimensional reiatsu manipulation."

"And from that you just naturally deduced how to cast a level 90 hado spell?"

"Yes, sir."

_Dear ancestors, _he swore to himself_._ "Does Unohana Taicho know you can do that?"

"Of course, sir."

Kyoraku breathed deeply, annoyed with himself for jumping around on tangents today. "Do you remember what happened to your knee?"

"Yes, sir."

That was _not_ the answer he wanted to hear. It would have been far easier if she had a temporary psychotic moment that she didn't remember. "Nanao-chan, what do you expect me to do?"

"Permission to speak candidly, sir."

"Of course, Nanao-chan; it goes without saying."

"You should give me a dishonorable discharge, sir."

Kyoraku rolled his eyes at her. "Don't be ridiculous. Everyone makes mistakes."

"Then I should be demoted, sir."

"_Ise-san_..."

She shut up fast. He only called her that when he was really upset with her.

Kyoraku breathed out heavily. "The answer seems pretty clear to me, Nanao-chan," he said, his demeanor back to his usual casual nature. "The simple answer is that you need to understand your zanpakutou better."

Ise looked away from him, ashamed.

Kyoraku was concerned, but at the same time, intrigued. What kind of zanpakutou could she have that she wouldn't be able to get it to fess up its secrets? "Well, it's evident that your zanpakutou wants more of your attention. Otherwise it wouldn't be able to dominate you like that."

Nanao was _very_ uncomfortable. She felt like a failure. She had failed her mission, failed to meet the expectations of her seat, and failed her captain's faith in her. "I'm sorry, sir."

"Starting tomorrow, I want you to train privately with me so you can learn your shikai. It's about time you know."

Nanao was supremely embarassed. Yet again, she felt like the little ten year-old kid hanging out in the barracks, able to kill five class-C hollows with a single Hado #4 but not old enough to understand why everyone was sleeping in each others' beds. "I don't deserve such special treatment, sir."

"Nanao-chan," he said to her softly, "I made a promise many moons ago to take care of you. You've been in my care since you got here, and I've known you since you were a little girl. You may be whipping out kido like some old-time gunslinger, but you're not even seventy-five yet. You're barely out of your teenage years -" he said, noticing her scowl - "_and I don't care how offended you are by that statement,_ I'm still responsible for you until I know you've got your head on straight."

"Sir, I -"

"Nanao-chan," he interrupted, "_really,_ are you in a position to argue? I'm looking out for everyone by making sure that whatever crazy thing happened out there doesn't happen again. You're smart, you know that proper training is the only right answer."

Nanao sighed heavily. She was never one to argue with reason. "I will see you tomorrow, then," she replied weakly, head heavy with guilt and shame.

"Good." Kyoraku gave her a paternal kiss on the forehead. Being the moody teenager she was, she normally never would have let him get away with it; but like all moody teenagers, she was secretly thankful that he cared this much about her. So this time, she gave him a tiny smile to indicate that she would let the gesture slide without comment.

***

_Fifty-two years ago, but about three months later_

"Shunsui-kun, that's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. Nobody's zanpakutou is like that."

"Yama-jii, would I lie to you?"

Yamamoto stroked his beard. "It doesn't answer anything."

"Shikai is only the first step to understanding who Nanao-chan is."

Yamamoto ignored the outright personal investment he had in his subordinate officer for the moment. "You realize that we have no idea how dangerous she is? If her zanpakutou goes to her head, the things she might do to her fellow shinigami?"

Kyoraku took the opening. "Perfect, so then you'll agree to my proposal."

Yamamoto didn't like the sound of that. "And just what is this 'proposal' of yours?"

"Let me promote her to vice captain. Onabara-san has been asking me to retire for a while now. All he wants is to teach in Shinou Academy full-time, something you know would be a wonderful benefit to prospective students. Nanao-chan will be pulled into a desk job where she's working forms all day long, and I can keep an eye on her. It's not like she hasn't been on the short list for a while already."

The Captain-Commander was not thrilled with this idea. "Clipping the wings of a dragon is a surefire way to make sure it eats you before anyone else."

Kyoraku knew that this was true to some extent, but he presented a different point of view. "Exactly the opposite. She's a brilliant officer - the top strategist in the entire division. Her platoon has never had a single casualty in the two decades she's been their commanding officer; all because of her careful planning and preparation for every mission. On top of that, Nanao-chan's always been highly efficient with all that administrative nonsense that I'm just terrible at. By promoting her, I would be able to nurture her best qualities and help her find balance. Besides, her only friend, Kotetsu Isane, was just promoted to vice captain of the 4th. As peers in the upper echelon, they'll have more interaction; and Isane-chan is a very positive influence on her."

Yamamoto debated this. "Balance is all well and good, but the price for slipping is a heavy one."

"You've seen my bankai. We don't need to have this discussion, I've proven the answer already."

General Yamamoto sighed. He had a point. Yamamoto was no stranger to playing with fire. "I'm going to trust you on this one, Shunsui-kun. Personally, I think you've invested entirely too much into this dangerous baby girl."

"Yeah, yeah, Yama-jii," he said, waving thanks as he departed. "You said the same thing about Lisa-chan."

Yamamoto shook his head in exasperation. Exactly. Look what happened to her.

***

_Back to the present era_

Ichigo was totally flipping out. It had been exactly three weeks since the engagement, and Rukia was coming for dinner tonight. _With Byakuya._ To their _house._ Their little, tiny, wonderful-but-not-at-all-mansion-like house.

To say he was insecure was an understatement.

Ichigo had recruited Karin to help clean up the house so Yuzu could focus on the cooking. Ichigo realized that as nobility, Byakuya probably had the best chefs in the afterlife to prepare his food, so it would be pointless to prepare traditional cuisine. Instead, he had asked Yuzu to cook a completely Western-style dinner, hoping that Byakuya would at the very least have nothing to compare it to.

It wasn't that Ichigo doubted Yuzu's cooking. It was more that he doubted _himself._ As tightrope-tense as the relationship was between Ichigo and Byakuya, Ichigo never wanted to put Rukia in a position where she would feel she had to choose between them. That meant that Ichigo needed to make sure Byakuya never resented to agreeing to this, or he would never forgive himself for causing that kind of conflict on Rukia's conscience.

So everything needed to be _perfect._ Ichigo washed every window, scrubbed every last square centimeter of the bathroom to gleaming perfection, vacuumed and swept, beat the rugs outside, mowed the lawn, clipped the bushes - everything had to be absolutely _flawless._ He was relieved that Karin was being helpful rather than contrarian, but he knew that she wanted to see Rukia, too. She helped by polishing the silver (although she was annoyed by Ichigo's inspections with a magnifying glass), polishing the wooden furniture, trim, and stairs; cleaning the fabric on the couch and organizing the television cabinet.

Ichigo was still nervous about how things were going as he rearranged the photos on the mantle, trying to find some great harmonic balance amongst them. When Karin told him it was fine for the fifteenth time, he finally stopped fussing and went up to shave and take a shower. The house had to be clean for Byakuya, but _he_ had to look perfect for Rukia.

He had somehow convinced his father that they all needed new clothing for the occasion. Ichigo was wearing a crisp blue button-down shirt with a striking grey suit and new black loafers. He finished the ensemble with a classy yellow tie that contrasted nicely with the shirt.

Karin was pissed - Ichigo had insisted that she not wear pants - but had relented when Tatsuki had offered to take her shopping to some particular place or another. She had picked out a red, silky half-length-sleeved tailored shirt, and an elegant tan A-line skirt that was cut at a slant, so that one hem came a few inches past her knee with the other hem cut around halfway to the ankles. Black strappy high-heeled sandals matched her hair.

The total effect was incredible: the tomboyish Karin, who normally dressed in loose shirts and pants suitable for playing soccer, was transformed into a little femme fatale. It scared Ichigo a bit that his little sisters (now twelve) were beginning to take on feminine figures faster than he would have liked. He had to admit that in a few more years, he was going to have to be fending off boys left and right. Then the thought came to him that Karin may end up looking like Kuukaku when she was older - complete with her not-so-subtle figure - and the realization nearly paralyzed him.

Yuzu and Isshin were still fussing around in the kitchen when Ichigo came down to adjust the thermostat. The last thing he wanted to do was sweat in his new clothes, and Yuzu had been cooking all day so there was additional residual heat from the oven and stove. He fired up the air conditioning to the highest setting before making a final inspection.

"Ichi-nii, chill out. You're getting really worked up over this. It's just Ruki-nee and her family, right?"

"Karin, we've been through this. You haven't met Byakuya. He's-"

"...super-rich, owns a small country, practically the divine descendant of the shogunate that has tea-time with the prime minister, yeah, yeah. Stop flipping out, or Ruki-nee's gonna notice you're a nervous wreck."

"Okay, okay! Hey Dad, Yuzu, you're cutting it close in there, aren't you?"

Karin sighed. She almost wished she was dealing with his shinigami crap instead.

***

Urahara set up the senkai gate in the specified rendevouz point. It was an upscale hotel in the center of town, where a luxury suite had been rented for the occasion. It consisted of a single main room, designed for long-term daily use, with an attached bedroom on each end. The senkai gate had been set up in the shared room, allowing them to arrive together without worrying about being seen by any of the spiritually-aware individuals who lived in Karakura.

In each of the adjoined hotel rooms, a gigai was waiting on the bed; and their chosen attire had been hung up in the closets. Care packages of various human hygiene products had been left for them. Urahara wasn't sure what they would need - he couldn't imagine that Byakuya ever had a need for a gigai before - so he made sure to provide them with a generous supply of items of all kinds, as well as light refreshments and water in the main room's fridge.

"Yoruichi, you think he'll be surprised?"

She couldn't contain her smile. "I would pay _anything_ just to capture his expression on film."

***

They arrived to their hotel room around three in the afternoon. When Byakuya saw who was waiting for them, he turned to Rukia with an expressionless stare. "What is the meaning of this?" he asked her.

"Come now, Byakuya-san," Shiba Kuukaku taunted. "This is a family gathering, after all. You didn't think I would come to see my brother?"

* * *

_Surprise! Oh, just by way of passing, I have no idea what Kyoraku's bankai is, either; it's just evident from his shikai that it can't be easy to wield. Next chapter: Tatsuki! Yay! -njx_

_

* * *

_

~~Crossover Cup!~~

Today's special guest: _Jean Havoc,_ from Full Metal Alchemist!

_Havoc: _What I wouldn't give to have a blind date with a woman like that.

_Nathan: _Meh, you're not one to complain. You got to go on a date with Lust herself.

_Havoc: _True, my friend. So true.


	17. Serpentine or Vulpine, Take Your Pick

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Bleach.

_Author's note: For the purpose of this story, I will assume the use of currency in dollars rather than yen. That's only because I have absolutely no idea about yen, and I don't want to bog down the story with explaining currency translations. Please just go with it. Thanks! -njx_

* * *

Rukia couldn't help it. She giggled. Yes, she actually giggled in front of her brother.

Kuukaku was in total supermodel mode. Her headwrap had been replaced with a beige French beret, and she was wearing a long slinky, sparkly red strapless dress. It was held up only by her well-endowed bosom, although it was high up enough that it didn't really reveal much. The bandage straps she normally wore were gone, and her clogs were replaced with simple shoes that matched her beret. The fingers on her hand were painted a bright red that matched her dress, and she wore a simple matching scarlet cloth tied over and around the stub of her other arm. It was a flashy outfit, but surprisingly tasteful. Her makeup was subtle, as long as you excluded the bright red lipstick that matched her dress.

Rukia felt a bit overshadowed by the buxom Queen of Shiba, but she didn't care. The look on Nii-sama's face was worth a gazillion dollars. "Well, Nii-sama, I have to go get ready. You know how much time it takes for a woman to look her best," she smirked, heading over to the room marked as hers.

Byakuya shot her a look, and she couldn't do anything but choke back another giggle as she pretended to put her aloof Kuchiki face back on. The effect was not lost on him. Rukia was _totally_ in on this. Byakuya turned to greet his fellow Head of House. "Shiba Kuukaku," he said politely.

"Kuchiki Byakuya," she returned with a smile, albeit a sly one. "A man of many words, as always."

He said nothing.

"I wouldn't want to keep your sister waiting - Rukia hasn't seen her fiance in three weeks. I'm sure she's eager to get there."

He closed his eyes with a nearly inaudible "Hai," and left to get ready.

***

"Tatsuki-chan!"

Tatsuki opened the door to the limo. "Rukia-chan! You look great!"

She hugged her old classmate. "Thanks! What are you doing here?"

"Summer job, working for my dad's car company. I was hired to drive you back and forth. It's so good to see you! Is this your family?"

Rukia turned to introduce Tatsuki, unable to hide the conspiratorial smile on her face. "This is my brother, Kuchiki Byakuya, and his _date,_ Shiba Kuukaku. This is Arisawa Tatsuki, a friend of mine from school here." She couldn't hold back the wink at the mention of the word 'date', either.

Nii-sama was glaring at Rukia with the patented Kuchiki-Doom-Stare, which was just one step above the Kuchiki-Death-Glare. Rukia returned a perfectly blank expression using her equally famous Level #62 Kuchiki-Mask-Of-Giggle-Prevention. To his dismay, Byakuya understood the gesture perfectly.

"Pleasure to meet you, Arisawa-san," Kuukaku said, nonchalantly interrupting the silent exchange between siblings. She shook hands with the young driver, dressed in a formal gray suit and driver's hat with leather gloves.

"Yes, a pleasure," Byakuya stated, his aloof voice indicating his true mood.

Rukia turned to Tatsuki and whispered in his ear. "Ignore Nii-sama, he's just grumpy 'cause he's not used to traveling."

Tatsuki snickered and then opened the door to the back seat, launching into her usual bit. "We made sure to spare no luxury, and hope you have a pleasant ride. If there's anything I can get you, please don't hesitate to ask. We hope you consider Arisawa Livery for your future needs, and unless you have any further questions I will gladly escort you to your destination."

Kuukaku held up her hand to Byakuya, daring to be coy with him. "You going to be a chivalrous gentleman and help me in, Byakuya-san?"

He said nothing and his face didn't change, but he gracefully helped her into the car in an otherwise gentlemanly fashion. He then helped Rukia get into the limosine before he followed suit.

As Tatsuki shut the doors, Rukia was just thrilled. This was going to be a blast.

***

Rukia was sitting next to Byakuya, with Kuukaku sitting across from them. Kuukaku was radiating sensuality and a sly, sharp wit to match. Kuukaku was clearly enjoying the serpentine cleverness that was in such contrast to the Kuchiki prince. The fact that she deliberately hiked her skirt up for the duration of the car ride gave an indication of how much fun she was having.

As for Rukia, she was enjoying herself. You couldn't have paid for better entertainment than this.

"Quiet today, aren't we, Byakuya-san?"

He said nothing.

"C'mon, dear Byakuya-san, no need to be so tense. We're just going to Kurosaki-san's house for dinner. Unless, of course," she eyed him suggestively, "you had other plans."

Rukia was indeed the only person in the universe who could tell that, at that moment, Kuchiki Byakuya was squirming in discomfort. _I have never had so much fun in my entire life_, she thought, a sadistic smile creeping across her face.

"Dinner plans were the only thing I had in mind," he said, his voice _almost _flat enough to be rude. On the other hand, he was looking at Kuukaku. Oddly enough, Rukia could tell he was contemplative; although it seemed to her that he was thinking about something distant.

"Byakuya-san, I know you have a question for me. I'm sure whatever it is, Rukia can hear the answer," she prodded him with a sexy stare. "Let's hear what it is."

Byakuya looked out the window and hesitated for a moment. "Do you forgive me?"

Shiba Kuukaku was most definitely not expecting _that_ question. It took her by surprise. Rukia, too - the wide-eyed expression on her face clearly indicated utter disbelief that he would ask such a thing, although Kuukaku wasn't sure if Rukia even understood the premise of the question.

Kuukaku put her playful smile back on as she went back to her favorite game - making him sweat. "Was that a rare moment of vulnerability from the ever-so-confident Kuchiki Byakuya?"

He gave no answer. Instead, he looked down in his lap.

"Only if you promise to smile," she teased.

He looked back at her for a moment but then closed his eyes. He wasn't smiling, but he wasn't grimacing either.

* * *

_Sorry for the short chapter. Next one will be short, too; but then they'll get long again. Next chapter: Introductions before the real fun begins._

_

* * *

_

~~Crossover Cup!~~

Today's special guest: _Izumi Curtis_, from Full Metal Alchemist!

_Izumi:_ You shouldn't have asked me to come here, Nathan.

_Nathan: _But you know better than anyone how important forgiveness is.

_Izumi: _What are you implying?

_Nathan: _I'm just saying that Byakuya obviously has a lot on his mind all-of-a-sudden. You know what it's like to have a heavy history laying on your shoulders.

_Izumi: _Nathan, now is not the time for this discussion.

_Nathan: _Why not?

_Izumi: _Let's not spoil happy occasions with memories of painful pasts.

_Nathan: _Now _that's_ what you should tell Byakuya.

_Izumi: _You're incorrigible.

_Nathan: _For asking for your commentary, or for forcing Byakuya to go on a date with Kuukaku?

_Izumi: _Both.


	18. Introductions

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Bleach.

* * *

"Cheese!"

Isshin snapped pictures on his digital camera. This was the nicest-dressed his kids had ever been since the funeral, and this occasion was a happy one that he really wanted to remember. Rukia-chan would be here momentarily - Tatsuki-chan had paged him after she picked them up - and he wanted a memento before things got too worked up. Besides, it would give Ichigo a distraction.

He was so proud. Ichigo was going to get married - _at sixteen!_ He couldn't believe it. But he looked like such a man tonight - the stylish outfit really made him look so much older. Yuzu was wearing a long, flowery navy-blue dress with a white sweater, white shoes and a matching headband. What he couldn't believe, though, was Karin. She looked like a _girl_. He _had _to get pictures!

Masaki would have been so proud of them. He promised to put the good ones up on the wall, next to her poster. He hoped, somewhere on the other side, she could feel the happiness he was feeling right now.

***

The doorbell rang, and Ichigo was really anxious. He hurried over to the front door, unlocking it and pulling it open as fast as he could. Rukia was standing on the door step.

Angels in heaven would have been screaming in jealousy.

Rukia wore a woman's sharp black skirt-suit with a white collared blouse. The black suit jacket was tailored well to show off her slender waist, and the long black skirt came halfway between her knees and her ankles, with slits modestly cut on each side to allow for movement. Simple black heels over white hose gave her an extra inch, and she wore a bright string of white pearls around her neck. Her shoulder-length black hair that typically hung loose was instead gathered into a simple up-do, held by a pearl-studded hair clip in a fashion that was vaguely similar to Ise Nanao. It was unusual for him to see her ears, since her hair usually covered them; but they were adorned with matching pearl earrings that provided refined class.

Her smile was warm and inviting, her eyes were glad to see him. Rukia must have been slightly nervous as well, because she reached up to tuck a loose strand behind her ear; and Ichigo could see that she was wearing a matching pearl bracelet. On her other hand, Ichigo beamed with pride as his mother's ring sat on her finger, claiming her for his own.

She wore simple makeup. He could swear he had never seen her in makeup before, but she was wearing subtle eye-shadow and dark rose lipstick that contrasted surprisingly well with her indigo eyes. Rukia looked like a beautiful twenty-something businesswoman, and he soaked in her simple, cultured grace that left him feeling on cloud nine.

"Hi," they each said at the same time.

Ichigo gestured for her to come inside. "Rukia, you look amazing."

She smiled. "Thanks. You look handsome, Ichigo."

Their exchange was interrupted when Yuzu charged into Rukia with a gigantic hug. "Rukia-neechan!"

Ichigo welcomed in Byakuya with his most polite smile while Rukia greeted his sisters with hugs, kisses, and squeals of how much they had missed her. While he knew Kuukaku was invited, he was surprised to see Byakuya escorting her, with her hand hooked around his arm. "Thanks for coming," he said genuinely. He actually _was_ grateful that Byakuya would have even considered coming to his humble home.

Byakuya's tone was oddly gracious. "I could not refuse such a sincere invitation," he remarked, his royal demeanor present but not in the slightest way harsh.

"Kuukaku-chan...!" Isshin's mouth hung open.

_Heh heh,_ Ichigo thought. It wasn't fair to surprise only one side of the family.

Kuukaku ran to Isshin and gave him a gargantuan squeeze, which was followed by a swift knock on the head. "Damnit, you couldn't have called me some time?" she half-yelled, half-joked with him.

"Rukia-neechan, who is that?" Yuzu asked quietly.

"Yuzu-chan, Karin-chan, this is Shiba Kuukaku. She grew up with your father." Not exactly a lie, she figured.

Kuukaku waved pleasantly. The girls nodded with a smile.

"And this," Rukia said while gesturing to her brother, "is Nii-sama, Kuchiki Byakuya."

Karin had been told all about Kuchiki Byakuya, and she thought she was prepared - but Byakuya was _imposing._ He had a stare that looked like it could carve mountains in half. His long, straight hair was blacker than midnight, and it was pulled into a thin ponytail with white ribbon. He wore a black designer suit with black shoes, a white shirt and ivory cashmere scarf. When he spoke, his voice was deep and authoratative. "You must be Karin-chan and Yuzu-chan."

"Y-y-yes," Karin stammered. No wonder Rukia called him Nii-_sama._

"P-p-pleased t-t-to m-m-meet y-y-you," Yuzu stuttered.

Kuukaku playfully grabbed his arm. "Byakuya-san, you're scaring them! You need to smile when you say hello."

He looked at her with the Kuchiki-Death-Glare, but Kuukaku had already seen the Kuchiki-Doom-Stare so she shrugged it off as though he actually enjoyed her playful teasing.

"How's it going so far?" Ichigo whispered to Rukia.

"I'm going to get a hernia just trying to contain my laughter," she whispered back, trying to prevent herself from giggling too loudly.

* * *

_I know you're all craving longer chapters; they're coming, I promise. Next chapter: Death Match - Kuchiki Byakuya vs. Kurosaki...Yuzu? **Fight!**_

_**

* * *

**_

~~Crossover Cup!~~

Today's special guest: _Olivier Mira Armstrong,_ from Full Metal Alchemist!

_OMA: _So Byakuya's stare can carve mountains in half, eh? They'll never cut down the Northern Wall of Briggs!

_Nathan: _I would so pay a gazillion dollars to see a sword fight between you and Byakuya.

_OMA: _Bring it on!


	19. Captain Confounded by Courageous Cuisine

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Bleach.

* * *

They say down to eat. Isshin sat at the head of table close to the kitchen, with Yuzu, Karin, and Ichigo on his left. Byakuya sat on his immediate right, with Kuukaku in between him and Rukia; who was sitting across from Ichigo.

Never had the Kurosaki dining room table ever been set so lavishly. The fine china was out, with the silverware polished and lit candlesticks on the table. A fine crystal pitcher of ice water reflected the candlelight, and the dark black tablecloth was woven with crossweaves so as to display a fine pattern of flowers. Byakuya was not sure what all the forks and spoons were for - the silver chopsticks would work just fine for him - but he found it rather ornate. It was clear they had gone through a lot of trouble for the occasion.

Yuzu served her father first, then Byakuya and Kuukaku. While she served the remainder of them, Isshin began the conversation. "It is an honor to have Rukia-chan's family join us for dinner."

Byakuya spread the white cloth napkin on his lap. "Rukia-san has told me how well you have cared for her. It is an honor to finally meet her gracious hosts."

Yuzu sat down, having served the appetizers. "Byakuya-san, I hope you enjoy the meal."

Ichigo was sweating inside. He hoped Byakuya wasn't offended by her speaking to him without being prompted, or even worse, using his first name.

Byakuya dabbed the corner of his mouth with his napkin after tasting a single bite. "What is this dish that you have served?"

Yuzu answered nervously. "Chunks of lamb shoulder braised in merlot and cabernet sauvignon, red onion, rosemary and shallots; served over a bed of wild black and basmati rice with sun-dried cranberries stewed in the gravy."

"Did you make this dish?"

Isshin answered for his daughter, seeing that she was a bit frightened. "Yuzu cooked tonight's entire meal, Byakuya-san. Everything on her menu she made with her own two hands."

Byakuya nodded. "Then that is the only possible explanation as to how this could taste so exquisite."

A smile beamed on Yuzu's face.

The tension faded, and soon, pleasant conversation covered the table. Mostly, Kuukaku asked the twins about their lives, what they were learning in school, what they liked to do, et cetera. Ichigo and Rukia were quiet, preferring to pass quiet smiles and gazes at each other. They were used to silent conversations anyway.

Byakuya even chimed into the discussion, asking the girls about their favorite subjects, what they were specifically learning in math and history, and what literature they had been reading. Ichigo could see that he was going out of his way to be sociable, and he was thankful since Rukia seemed so much at ease.

Karin cleared the appetizer plates and silverware and Yuzu brought out the soup, again serving her father first and then Byakuya and Kuukaku before the others. Yuzu then sat down and gestured to Byakuya to take the first sip.

"Go ahead, Byakuya-san," Kuukaku jibed. "Tell the girl what you think."

He tasted it once, twice, thrice; and then spoke. "What is this?"

"French onion soup, made with sauvignon blanc, chicken stock, parmigiano-reggiano and pomodoro cheese; seasoned with turmeric and served with toasted homemade French bread croutons."

"How long did it take you to make this soup?"

Yuzu shied away, embarrassed but unable to lie. "Seven hours."

"Remarkable," he commented. "Even if my private chef had seven days, he could not make such savory cuisine."

"Byakuya-san," Kuukaku smiled. "You're becoming quite the food critic."

He did nothing more than raise his eyebrows, as if to accept her compliment. Byakuya was too busy eating to say anything.

Ichigo marveled at Rukia as he began to eat the second course. He had never seen her so carefree, so happy, so at ease. She stole playful smiles at him in between conversation, and Ichigo wished the night would never end.

Rukia was so happy she couldn't contain herself. Both of her families were enjoying dinner together. For one night, Rukia didn't need to live in two worlds. She didn't need to worry about her nobility, for she was with family. She didn't need to worry about her division, for she was off for the night. She didn't need to pretend to be anything or anyone. The only thing she needed to worry about was the fact that at some point, the evening would come to a close - but she didn't dwell on it. Rukia was too busy enjoying Yuzu's cooking, Karin's witty stories about school and soccer, Ichigo's stunning smile, and Nii-sama's casual, social behavior. Second to seeing Ichigo, that was the most rewarding.

Again, Karin and Yuzu played good daughters, clearing the empty bowls and bringing out the salad course. Each plate had been carefully prepared with a perfect blend of romaine, mesclun, and raddichio; diced strawberry, tangerine and mango; black olives, grape tomatoes and crushed walnuts. Roses carefully carved out of baby turnips were garnished with slivers of paper-thin kiwi to resemble leaves, and a lemon vinagrette with minced red, orange, and yellow peppers was lightly sprinkled over the plate. It was a spectacular display of color and culinary artistry.

"Kurosaki Yuzu," Byakuya asked, "I assume this presentation is also your doing."

"Yes," she squeaked, although she didn't shy away from his soul-piercing stare this time.

"It is a piece of art that cannot go unnoticed."

"Thank you so much!" she replied, her bright smile lighting up the whole room. After a few moments of allowing people to eat, Yuzu tried to spark up further conversation. "Byakuya-san - what do you do?"

Byakuya was a bit confused and about to say something when Isshin interrupted. "I believe Ichigo mentioned that you work in the military."

He caught on quickly that Yuzu didn't know who he really was. "Yes, I am an official in the military."

Kuukaku, as usual, was eager to ignite the conversation. "Oh, you're being so modest, Byakuya-san," she teased. Turning to Yuzu, she mock-whispered across the table. "He's really a four-star general. Top secret stuff and all that." Rukia snickered at Kuukaku's antics. Ichigo got a good chuckle, too.

'Captain' would have been fine, Byakuya thought, but he didn't pretend to understand the local military system and didn't want to suggest his rank was lower than was appropriate.

"Kuukaku-san," Karin asked, "what about you?"

"I do fireworks!" she beamed, always happy to talk about her profession. Karin was particularly interested, and the conversation carried through the remainder of the course. Kuukaku was also pleased that Byakuya recalled some of her demonstrations. He even made an offhand remark or two that could have been vaguely interpreted as compliments.

The technical details of how one safely plays with explosives dominated the discussion until it was time for Karin to clear the plates, and Yuzu brought out the main course. Each plate had been prepared separately, with a breast of ginger-lime chicken, a strip of honey-orange beef, seared cajun-style crusted lemon-pepper tuna steak, and rosemary-thyme mashed potatotes. All of this was accented by green beans made with raw garlic, almonds and diced artichoke hearts in a caramelized sugar sauce.

Kuukaku nudged Byakuya with her short arm. "Go on, share your wisdom with us, great food critic of ours."

"Don't tease him, Kuukaku-san! He doesn't have to say anything if he doesn't want to," Yuzu interjected.

Byakuya could tell that no one was going to eat until he rendered his judgement, so he proceeded to taste a bit of everything. He could swear he had never tasted anything so good. The chicken was out of this world, and the beef was so flavorful he could only have assumed it had been marinating for days. The side dishes were equally tasty and were harmonious with the rest of the plate. The tuna was spicy with an amazing zest, and was flawlessly seared to perfection; preserving its flavorful citrus-infused juices. "Kurosaki Yuzu, where did you get such recipes?"

Yuzu looked both proud and sad. "My mother had assembled a homemade cookbook of her favorite recipes over the years. Dad gave it to me for my seventh birthday when I told him I really wanted to cook like Mom."

"It is evident that you have acquired, if not surpassed, her skill. This is most delicious."

Yuzu was clapping in excitement. She couldn't contain herself. "Yay! I'm so glad Rukia's Oniisan likes my cooking!"

Karin was chuckling. Nothing made Yuzu prouder than a good meal, and it was so rare that they had company.

***

Karin cleared the plates, and Yuzu was about to get up to get the next course when Byakuya gestured for her to remain seated. "Please, if I may."

"Is something the matter?" Isshin asked.

"Not at all," Byakuya replied. "If it is alright with you, however, I feel that you and I have matters to discuss that would be of little interest to the others. If I may suggest that perhaps we take this time to converse amongst the adults."

Kuukaku amended his little interjection. "Besides, I am sure that Rukia-san and Ichigo-kun would enjoy a moment of their own, isn't that right, Byakuya-san?" There was no lack of persuasion in her voice, and even innocent Yuzu could tell what she was implying.

Byakuya gave Kuukaku the Kuchiki-Gloom-Glance, which was one step above the Kuchiki-Doom-Stare. She scrunched her face and stuck out her tongue at him in an overtly playful fashion. Karin and Rukia couldn't help but stifle a giggle. Ichigo struggled as hard as he could not to burst out laughing at Kuukaku's open mocking of him. Of course, she was also a Head of House, so his how-dare-you-talk-to-me-like-that tactics wouldn't work on her.

"I am sure he and Rukia-san could find a place for a quiet discussion," with not-so-subtle emphasis on the word _'discussion.'_

Kuukaku debated kicking him under the table, but realized it would likely embarass Rukia; so she decided against it. "Karin-chan, Yuzu-chan - come, give me a tour. I'd love to hear all about what your father has been up to all these years, without him able to keep you from hiding the good parts," she said, winking at Isshin.

Rukia got up from the table and bowed her head slightly to the two men. "Nii-sama, Dr. Kurosaki," she said, excusing herself. She took Ichigo by the hand and led him away from the table towards the television room, where they sat down on the couch. Rukia figured it was a safe spot. Nii-sama would be able to see the backs of their heads from the table, but it afforded enough privacy given the circumstances.

"Yuzu really went all out, didn't she?"

"Yeah, definitely. If she was a shinigami, this meal would have totally been her bankai moment," he chuckled. "I am _so _gonna buy her the brand new bike she wanted. She's been cooking all week."

"Please tell me you're not going to let your sisters do the dishes...?"

"Of course not! I promised Yuzu that after today, she wouldn't have to step foot in the kitchen for a month. That girl worked herself to the ground. Karin didn't even complain once about all the cleaning, and even more incredible was that she actually put up with me. I don't care if I have to get Kon to help me, there's no way I'm letting either of them do a single chore for a while. It's the least I could do."

"It was a good call having her prepare a Western meal. I don't think Nii-sama has ever had anything like this before."

Ichigo was worried all of a sudden. "You don't think he's just complimenting the food to be polite, do you?"

She glared at him. "Of course not! Nii-sama would never do that!"

"True; he's not one to lie. It's just that he's so... talkative. It's unlike him."

She giggled. "I think Kuukaku-san has gotten him a bit rattled, that's all."

Ichigo chuckled again. "Yeah, I've never seen anything like it. She's something else, isn't she?"

Rukia snuggled up close to him, laying her hand on his knee and her head on his shoulder. Ichigo put his arm around her, and she cozied up against him, her glowing contentment easily readable on her face. "I missed you terribly."

"Not as much as we missed you here. I thought I was going to go crazy. Yuzu was heartbroken to hear that you won't be staying with us, at least for a while. Karin wasn't happy about it, either."

"I miss them, too. It's been a while since I've spent so much time in Soul Society, but there's so much planning to do I don't know how I could stay here."

"How's the planning coming?"

"Well. Nanao-san offered to be in charge of the overall wedding preparations - _thank god!_ - and is mostly focused on handling the hall and catering. Momo-chan is dealing with the flowers, the bridal shower, and outfits; Matsumoto-san offered to handle the band. It's a good thing, too; if Nanao-san picked out the music, we'd be listening to seventy-six flavors of opera. While she was at it, I think Rangiku-san also offered to handle the bar list."

Ichigo laughed. Not surprising. Something she said piqued his interest, though. "Outfits?"

"Oh dear god," she sighed in exasperation. "Don't ask. Apparently, a Four Houses wedding has some pretty unique customs."

"I don't have to wear a Chappy hat, do I?"

Rukia laughed and hugged him closer. "I love you, Idiot."

"I love you too, Midget. But no Chappy hat, right?"

"Ask me again and you will," she retorted, playfully smacking him.

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_How many of you had your mouths water while reading this? Kudos to my wife for actually making these dishes. Reviews, please!  
Next chapter: Iron Chef Bleach, part 2: Kuchiki Byakuya vs. Kurosaki Isshin. Let the battle begin!_

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~~Crossover Cup!~~

Today's special guest: _Ling Yao_, from Full Metal Alchemist!

_Ling:_ Wow, what an awesome meal! How come they didn't invite me? I'm a prince, too, you know!

_Nathan:_ Because you would eat them out of house and home....


	20. Impunity with a Side of Caramel

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Bleach.

_Over 100 positive reviews - thanks, guys. The encouragement is really appreciated. Thanks for joining me along in this wild ride - and it will only get better, I promise. -njx _

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"They really seem perfect together, don't they, Kuchiki Taicho?"

Byakuya was startled to all-of-a-sudden be referred to by his usual title, having settled into 'Byakuya-san' for the evening. He had actually never been called that in his entire life. To his surprise, when it came from sincere people, it seemed just as respectful as any of the other titles people typically called him.

"Yes, I suppose so."

Isshin waited. It was his guest who had called for this little chat, after all.

Byakuya eventually began. "He is young, is he not?"

"Eh, who am I to say? I was first engaged when I was two-hundred and ninety-three, and I was _still _too young."

Byakuya wondered what Isshin's reaction would be if he knew that Banzo Ichihime was Byakuya's acting lieutenant. "Do you approve?"

"If it was anybody else, I would say hell no. But Ichigo needs her," he answered sincerely. "His whole life is connected to hers through a thousand threads of fate. If they don't get married now, I think they'll both die inside. It wouldn't be obvious at first, but losing hold of someone like that takes a toll on you."

Byakuya could do little more than nod.

Isshin leaned forward over the table to tell him something that was inevitably going to be more personal than Byakuya would have liked. "You know, you and I share some things in common here."

Byakuya inquisitively raised an eyebrow, trying very hard not to let his irritation show.

"Both of us lost the wives we dearly loved. Women that were not from our world, yet who looked past that to see us who we really were - and then loved us anyway, despite our faults. They both left us with priceless gifts - Maski gave me kids; Hisana-dono gave you a sister. And we both look at their pictures everyday, wishing that we had been better men and better husbands."

These words _shocked _Byakuya. It was like someone had carved through all proper protocols of respect and had the audacity to touch his very essence. He absorbed the words, bit by bit, surprised that this man could teach him _anything._ Kurosaki Isshin, or Shiba Isshashine as Byakuya discovered three weeks ago during an emergency Heads of Houses meeting, was the complete opposite of Kuchiki Byakuya. This former Head of House, the previous member of the Royal Guard who had run away from an arranged marriage with Banzo Ichihime more than sixty years ago to the real world; who threw away his life and pride as a shinigami for a human - this man broke every conceivable rule in the book. He was a _disgrace_ - and he had just put them on the same plane.

Under most circumstances, Kuchiki Byakuya's pride would have been so gravely offended that Byakuya would have considered killing him. But today, Byakuya was unwillingly finding himself less and less concerned about his pride, and more concerned about the truth - about what his past, present and future really meant to him. Placing truth above pride, at least for today, meant that he could actually listen to Kurosaki Isshin with an honest, open ear. It actually shook him a bit.

"And better fathers, too," Isshin added, further twisting the knife. It was clear that Isshin was not speaking only of himself. Byakuya was the patriarch of the Kuchiki family. It was his responsibility to play that role for Rukia, no matter how uncomfortable it was.

_Rukia,_ he thought. He looked over to where she and Ichigo were sitting on the couch. It was quiet, and she was clearly leaning on his shoulder. On some level, he would have thought that it would bother him to see such displays of affection in the company of others; but today he just wasn't himself and didn't seem to be overly concerned.

He turned his thoughts back to the conversation at hand. Byakuya was agitated that this man had just rebuked him with impunity, but more irked that his rebuke ran true. "What is your point, Kurosaki Isshin?"

"I'm just saying that both of us know what this commitment means. It won't be easy for them. They'll both have to find a way to live in two worlds. But you and I both know that once you find the right person, you have to shape fate to make sure they stay in your life. And we need to honestly support them every way we can, or otherwise we're going to fail to fulfill the promises we gave our wives."

Byakuya ran his fingers through his hair. Today was just too much, he thought. "I suppose."

"Well, then, I guess we're settled?" Isshin saw his guest nod in response. "Then I have just one thing," and handed Byakuya a small container that he had pulled out of his pocket. "I'm sure you can promise me that this will get to the right place."

Byakuya looked at the object carefully before putting it in his coat pocket. "Will this work?"

"Let's just say the real world taught me a few things you guys have yet to learn."

Byakuya did not protest. He was learning the same lesson altogether too quickly.

***

Yuzu brought out a tray of desserts, serving in the same order that she had before. Byakuya continued to be impressed by this young woman's skill. The parfait glass in front of him was a layered ice-cream sundae, gracefully garnished with a fresh mint leaf and pitted pomegranate seeds. Byakuya knew from eating pomegranate once before that pitting the seeds presentably was an extremely laborious and skill-intensive task.

He did not bother to wait for her invitation, for fear of the frozen dessert melting. When he tasted it, it was the most tongue-twitchingly tasty thing he had ever eaten. It was sweet but not overly so, and the texture was smooth and creamy with flecks of fresh vanilla and a tender crunch of dried coconut that combined to provide an incredibly congruous sense of flavor.

"Kurosaki Yuzu, this is the most outstanding dessert I have ever tasted in my entire life." Little did she know how long that actually was. "Please tell me what you have included in it."

Yuzu spoke like a chef revealing her greatest secrets. "Homemade caramel ice cream - Karin helped me make the caramel, actually - with pecans that we glazed ourselves with raspberry and buckwheat honey. Pomegranate with a touch of lime for acidity, and fresh nana leaves for color. I added some fresh vanilla and stone-ground coconut to help bring out the caramel's natural flavor."

Byakuya was extremely tempted to ask for seconds, but it would have been rude; so he restrained himself. To his chagrin, Kuukaku asked for seconds; pushing her first one - only half-eaten - onto his plate. He considered giving her a look but it was lost on the woman, and all he could do was let out an almost inaudible chuckle.

Kuukaku nudged him. "Go on, eat it. You know the only reason you didn't ask for more is because you thought it would be impolite."

"I can get you more --" Yuzu began as she got up to get Kuukaku another, but Byakuya gestured that he was satisfied.

"No, thank you, that is most generous. I will be fine with what Shiba-san gave me."

Kuukaku lightly elbowed him. "Come now, Byakuya-san, what's with this 'Shiba-san' business? No need to be so formal amongst friends and family."

Rukia could tell Byakuya just wanted to shrivel up and die, considering how well Kuukaku was playing him. She barely stifled her millionth giggle of the evening by placing the back of her hand over her mouth, looking at Ichigo.

Ichigo knew what she was thinking. It felt so good to get even at Byakuya for fooling them over his little promise with the giant loophole.

"Excuse me, Kuukaku-san, my apologies."

Kuukaku gave him an exaggerated smile for his apology, as if to tease him for being stuffy.

Karin leaned over and whispered in Yuzu's ear. "He may be a stiff guy, but Kuukaku-san totally has him wrapped around her little finger."

Yuzu giggled. "They're cute together, don't you think?" she whispered, just loud enough to make sure that Byakuya could hear.

***

After Karin cleared dessert, Yuzu served coffee, tea, sake, and after-dinner mints. Her father and Kuukaku took sake; Ichigo preferred coffee. Byakuya, Rukia and the twins took tea.

"This tea is most flavorful. Based on the extensive preparations I know that you have made for this meal, I would not be surprised if you had cultivated it in your backyard," Byakuya said.

"Was that a joke, Byakuya-san?" Kuukaku teased, a sassy grin of mock surprise spread across her face. "I'm quite impressed you actually attempted one."

Yuzu giggled. When he first came in, Kuchiki Byakuya had struck her as an intimidating, frightening man who could kill you without thinking twice. By now, she found him to be a socially awkward yet polite gentleman, and she was oddly comfortable with him. "No, I don't garden very well. But it's a mix of green and black tea, with chamomile, star anise, cinnamon and chili."

"Chili in tea?" he mused. "Most interesting. Would you mind if help myself to more for a toast?"

"Of course not! Please, allow me!" she offered enthusiastically, thoroughly excited to _finally_ have a chance to serve him seconds.

Byakuya cleared his throat. "I am not used to making speeches, but it is only befitting that I say a few words to mark this occasion. First, I would like to thank the entire Kurosaki family for hosting us this evening. Second, I would like to commend the outstanding prodigy, Kurosaki Yuzu, for providing a culinary experience that could not be matched by even the finest of royal banquets. Lastly, I would like to toast Kurosaki Ichigo and Rukia-san, for all the many things I have learned from them."

Rukia and Ichigo looked at each other, surprised and equally puzzled, but before either of them had a chance to say anything, Kuukaku seconded his toast. "To Ichigo and Rukia!" They all clinked glasses and drank their respective beverages.

Byakuya then opted to try a mint. It was a rich, smooth dark chocolate with an intensely strong yet clean minty taste that was the perfect way to end the meal. "Based on their quality, I can only assume that these were crafted by your hands, correct?" he asked Yuzu.

She nodded with a bright, cheery smile. On any other day, he would have found it too saccharine for him, but he had to admit that he found a fondness for the little girl's glow of enthusiasm. Where he got this fondness from, he had absolutely no idea.

Byakuya could say nothing more than "Superb." If there's one thing about these Kurosaki kids, he reflected, it's that they certainly excel in their field.

* * *

_Reviews, please! I especially want to hear your feedback about Byakuya's interactions with Isshin.  
_

_Next chapter: Long ago, it was Ichigo. The scandal came, and it was Rukia's turn to go toe-to-toe. He came for dinner, and Yuzu was up for the challenge. After that, Isshin stepped up to the plate._

_But we save the best for last - Kuchiki Byakuya vs. Kurosaki Karin. **It. Will. Be. Fierce. **And this time, I'm not just building hype. _

_

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_

~~Crossover Cup!~~

Today's special guest: _Gluttony, _from Full Metal Alchemist!

_Gluttony: _Everyone sounds so delicious!

_Nathan: _Er, don't you mean every_thing_?


	21. The Haze of Flaming Black

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Bleach.

_Hey guys, what happened to all the reviews? It seems odd to me that I get 650+ hits a day and only 1-2 reviews. Do people just find this part boring? __I really haven't gotten much solid feedback on Byakuya x Kuukaku blind date idea. Do you hate it, love it, meh-whatever-not-your-thing? Crazy, or interesting? Cute, or diabolical? Curious to know more about whether y'all feel like you're suffering through this and waiting for the good parts, or whether you actually enjoy this "happy-fuzzy" in the story. 'Cause not every chapter can be an angst-filled heart-twister, it'll wear you out otherwise. So please, all you lurkers out there, share your thoughts - put a minute or two into it. Telling me 'please update soon' doesn't let me know how the story speaks to you. ________Consider it a way to say 'thanks' for the entertainment. Kudos. -njx_

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_Seventy-four Years Ago_

"Ukitake Taicho, you summoned for me?"

"Yes, Shiba Ku-Seki. Please, sit down."

Miyako settled down on the pillow in front of her captain's desk. She had already submitted the reports from her platoon's hunt in Ireland, and it had gone extremely well. She was at home waiting for Kaien to return from the vice-captain's meeting when 20th Seat Mushishi Kunda had informed her of the summons. "Thank you, sir."

Ukitake put down his tea. "I'm happy to inform you that we have decided to promote you to the 3rd Seat."

Miyako smiled graciously. "Thank you, Ukitake Taicho. I am appreciative to have the opportunity to serve in the division leadership."

"Oh, don't be so humble," Ukitake teased. "You knew it was coming once they announced that Ginjiro San-Seki would be promoted to 6th division vice captain."

Miyako laughed. "I suppose Kaien had something to do with it."

"Not at all," Ukitake said seriously. "Don't sell yourself short."

Miyako grinned warmly. "Thank you, sir. Now I'm sure I'll at least be able to keep tabs on him," she said amusingly.

Most people who came into contact with the 13th Division's 9th seat would assume that her last comment was nothing more than jest, but Jushiro knew her better than that. Miyako was the type to use kittens and rainbows to fight back her insecurities. Her ability to hide her anxieties and worries behind a warm layer of gentle confidence meant that almost everyone assumed she was even more unflappable than Unohana Retsu. "Is that a hint of jealousy I hear in your voice?" he asked casually, not wanting to appear threatening.

Miyako sighed. She could hide her worries from her husband, but her captain was a bit too perceptive. "It's nothing, Captain. If I was worried, I could just ask Clara --" and the instant it came out of her mouth, Miyako felt ashamed of herself; hanging her head low and unable to look her captain in the eye.

Ukitake's disappointed stare turned into one of sadness. "You know that's not the right way to go about things, Miyako-dono."

Small tears welled in her eyes as she tried not to appear weak in front of her captain. "It's silly, really. He's just trying to help that Kotetsu girl feel comfortable. She's so young and probably feels so overwhelmed - she's probably never even been without her older sister before," she explained, as much to herself as it was to her captain. "It's downright silly for me to be jealous of a little kid. I guess I just envy how much time she spends with him, that's all."

Ukitake took a sip of his tea, waiting until she was able to look at him again. "How long have you been married now, Miyako-dono? Just about two years, correct?"

She nodded with a sniffle.

"I can't speak from personal experience, but I've always heard it's the toughest time in one's marriage. The mystery and excitement and 'newness' of it is all gone, and you're beginning to wonder what happened. It's only natural that you're feeling a bit insecure."

"Maybe," she acknowledged with defeat. "Still, I shouldn't be so ridiculous, though. I should trust my husband. He's a good man."

Ukitake smiled. "I'll tell you something my parents used to do, and they were happily married for over four hundred years. They used to have a little ritual that they would do once a week. They would find a quiet place, hold hands, and talk - but there were three rules. One, you always had to listen sincerely, honestly and openly; even if it hurt. Two, you always had to take the other person seriously. And three, you had to believe that both people wanted to make it work. Maybe you should try it with Kaien-dono."

Miyako was incredulous. "Captain, you can't possibly believe that Kaien would do something like that, could you?"

Ukitake smiled knowingly. "Eh, I think he'll totally go for it. Deep down, he's a real softie."

She laughed. "That's certainly true."

"Listen, Shiba _San_-Seki," emphasizing his confidence in her, "you will have just as much responsibility to train the junior members as your husband does now. Both of you are going to spend a lot of time away from each other. Being a leader in the division means that, inevitably, your lives will at some point be in danger. Ancestors forbid something happens to you, you want to make sure you don't ever doubt each other."

Miyako's guilt creeped up into her shoulders. She was disappointed with herself.

"It may feel silly to worry about Kotetsu-chan fancying him - maybe she'll grow out of it, maybe she won't - but there will be other female division members that will look up to him, maybe even vie for his affection. As long as you're open and honest with each other, others will see how much you trust each other. If you do that, it will be clear to everyone - and all of those women will realize he's in love with _you,_ and then they'll find someone else."

She put her hand on the hilt of her katana, slipping into a mindlink for a moment. Ukitake knew that if Miyako had one fault, it was that she trusted her sword more than she did herself. If one considered the entire universe of potential character flaws, it was a pretty meager complaint. "Miyako-dono, be open and honest with each other. Your husband will love you all the more for it."

Ukitake's new 3rd seat opened her eyes with new confidence and a genuinely positive smile. "Thank you, Captain."

He grinned. "For the promotion, or for my meddling advice?"

Miyako laughed. "Both, of course."

***

_Back to the present_

It had been five hours since they had arrived, and to Ichigo's dismay, it was time for Rukia to leave. Karin cleared the table, and when she returned, Byakuya stood up. It was clear he wanted to say something, but he hesitated. Kuukaku put her hand on her hip and gave him a cheeky smile, as if to tell him to get on with it.

He sighed back at her, annoyed, but then regained his sociable atmosphere as the situation required it. "My position rarely affords me to speak candidly. I am grateful for your hospitality, Kurosaki Isshin-san, Ichigo-kun, Karin-chan, Yuzu-chan. It has been most memorable. I... have learned many things this evening."

Yuzu was quick to speak. "Byakuya-san, Kuukaku-san, I so glad that you were able to come. We missed Rukia-neesan terribly, we are so happy to see her again."

Byakuya nodded. "I can tell that she has found a home away from home here. I regret that she is not able to stay."

Yuzu's eyes saddened, and tears began to form. "Can she ever come back? She's... she's really important to me," she confessed, refusing to look away from him.

Byakuya was surprised how bad he felt. Normally, he was never governed by emotion, nor did it sway him - but the look in this girl's eyes pierced him in a thousand places. He could not believe he was about to say this, but he could not stop himself. "Rukia-san has important family matters to attend to for several weeks. However, I promise you that she will not be absent from your life for much longer."

Karin, Ichigo, and Rukia gasped incredulously as Yuzu charged into Byakuya with a brazen hug. _"Arigato gozai mashita, Byakuya-san!"_

Byakuya put his hand on the girl's head in a comforting gesture. He wanted to berate himself for putting up with such childish antics, but something had torn down the barriers he had erected around his heart long ago. Considering she had the talent of a chef well beyond her years, and how old Byakuya was himself, he had forgotten how young and emotional Yuzu really was. Byakuya could forgive the outburst. "I am sure that it has been a long day for you. Go rest," he said, trying to find a tender voice but was unhappy that it came out more stern than he had intended.

Yuzu didn't seem to notice, though; she pulled away with a big smile and yawned. "_Ohh----_ excuse me, Byakuya-san, I think you're right." She gave a polite nod to Kuukaku, who pulled her in to a hug, and then gave Rukia a big, teary squeeze. "I love you, Rukia-neechan. I really, really missed you. Come back soon, okay?"

Rukia kissed her on the forehead as the twelve-year old began to yawn again. "I'll come back as soon as I can, I promise."

"Yuzu," Karin cautioned. "Go sit down on the couch before you fall asleep standing up."

Yuzu smiled gently and complied. It took no longer than 3.76 seconds before she was snoring.

Byakuya gestured to Rukia and Kuukaku to head for the door, but Karin blocked the way, bowing deeply in apology. "Forgive me for holding you up, Kuchiki-sama, but I want to discuss something now that Yuzu is asleep."

He looked at her with an intense stare that would have terrified most people - but Kurosaki Karin was not most people. He recognized the same fiery, only-death-will-stop-me determination that Byakuya had seen many times in her older brother's eyes. If Byakuya were himself today, he would swear that despite being in a human body, she was emanating a haze of reiatsu. Which couldn't be possible, of course. No human could do that. He had to get out of this gigai; it was affecting his senses.

"...Yes, Kurosaki Karin?"

"_'Four-Star General'_ in the military, huh?" Karin leveled at him with a clever smirk. "Now why would a _shinigami captain_ come to my house to meet Ichi-nii's family and eat such a fancy dinner?"

A quiet but burning tension hung in the air. Byakuya stared down the black-haired child, but her fierce gaze didn't falter.

"Away for several weeks on 'important family matters'? A toast to Rukia and Ichi-nii? Private matters to discuss between you and Dad? There's only one explanation, even if it's the craziest thing I've ever heard. They must be getting _married_. It has to be the truth, because Ruki-nee is wearing Mom's ring. Now I can think of a thousand reasons why Yuzu can never know anything about it, but I'll be _damned_ if I miss the wedding."

* * *

_Aha, so that's how Ichigo randomly came up with the open-heart-circle ritual! It all makes sense now. Feedback/reviews please. Next chapter: **Warning** - will cause IchiRuki fangasms._

_

* * *

_

~~Crossover Cup!~~

Today's special guest: _Sig Curtis_, from Full Metal Alchemist!

_Nathan: _You're an unusual fellow to be in an omake.

_Sig: _Karin reminded me of Ed and Al when they first came.

_Nathan: _Interesting.

_Sig: _It's that same gaze. The look of determination. Of motivation. The one where you already know you've swung Fate by your side.

_Nathan: _You're unusually talkative today, Sig.

_Sig: _It's an omake. I don't have to be myself if I don't want to.

_Nathan: _Uh-huh. Yeah. Oooooooookay then. So, did you come here to ruin my foreshadowing, or is there some other reason you've decided to be totally out-of-character?

_Sig: _Me? No, I came to make sure your readers leave reviews.

_Nathan: _Sig, you can't scare my readers into giving me reviews!

_Sig: _Have they ever seen me chop meat?

_Nathan: _Um, some of them may have seen you chop meat once or twice.

_Sig: _I don't have to scare them. I just have to tell them that I'll hold you ransom.

_Nathan: _Wait, what the hell!? Wait a minute..... _ENVY?_

_Sig morphs away into the homunculus Envy._

_Envy (frustrated): _How did you know it was me?

_Nathan: _I'm just as much as a manipulative bastard as you are. I know how you think.

_Envy: _Impossible. No one is as manipulative as I am.

_Nathan: _I gave Kuchiki Byakuya a blind date with Shiba Kuukaku.

_Envy: _You win. Readers, write those reviews!


	22. First Kiss

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Bleach.

_Some of you have commented on how you would have thought Kuukaku would be a bit more prominent in these last few chapters. Remember that for most of Act II, the perspective has primarily been from Byakuya, who is deliberately trying to ignore her. Don't worry, Kuukaku will be a prominent feature of the remainder of Act II, which is nearing its climax; so you'll see her front-and-center in the next chapter. For now, just remember that the Byakuya x Kuukaku interactions are on a bit of a "slow burn" for the moment. _

* * *

"Karin-chan, I---"

_"Quiet,_ Dad!" she yelled back at him, never removing her gaze from Byakuya.

Ichigo was panicking inside, but was speechless. He couldn't believe that Karin would have the audacity to even _think_ of challenging Byakuya. Only Ichigo was stupid enough to do such a thing. All Ichigo needed was a perfect evening to be ruined by a Karin-sized temper tantrum.

Karin forced through the palpable tension. "It's the truth, isn't it, Byakuya-san?"

He admired the girl's resolve, but Byakuya's stare didn't flinch. "Why do you ask me this question?"

"Because I can tell that you're too honorable to lie to my face."

Byakuya was impressed. She has _guts. _Even if Byakuya had been tempted to lie, her bold maneuver had backed him into a corner. Face unchanged, he paused before answering. "You speak the truth, Kurosaki Karin."

"Then I want to come," she insisted.

The burning inferno in the little girl's eyes indicated that Kurosaki Karin had already made up her mind. Byakuya wondered if she got it from her older brother, or if fight-to-the-death instincts were just a natural inclination of the Kurosaki children.

Byakuya figured out how he was going to break the news to her. I _can't_ agree to this. Of course I would tell her no. A child is incapable of understanding the implications of a dimension of the dead. Absolutely not. It was the only conceivable answer.

But today, the Great Prince had somehow become a pushover. "The bride and groom may invite whomever they wish," he answered casually, as though it was the only logical answer that he could ever give.

Ichigo's heart nearly stopped. _WHAT!?!? Did he just give in!? Un-friggin'-believable! _What the hell did Kuukaku do to him? He's _unhinging!_

Karin didn't waste a second. She knew which one of them to ask. "Ruki-nee? Please?"

Rukia could not believe her luck. Today was just a gift from the heavens. "Bridesmaids need to wear kimonos," she twinkled. Rukia was so happy that she felt like she was going to burst into sunshine. She couldn't understand her brother's acquiescence, but she was eternally thankful.

Karin broke into a wide smile and dived into Rukia for a hug, her pride of victory evident on every facet of her face.

Isshin scratched his head in amazement. He was just too dumbfounded to think straight. Kuchiki Byakuya folding his cards? This was too bizarre, even for Isshin - and when it came to all things bizarre, Isshin wrote the book.

Kuukaku could not help but chuckle. _What a clever, sassy girl - I love it!_ "Look at you, turning everything into one big happy-land in the Kurosaki house," she teased her date.

Byakuya gave her the Kuchiki-I-am-going-to-erase-you-from-the-annals-of-history look. She patted him on the shoulder. "There, there, you look so cute when you squint your eyes like that."

Ichigo and Rukia started laughing uncontrollably. They had been holding back all too much today, and after five and a half hours, they just couldn't hold it in any longer.

If Byakuya was ever capable of being flabbergasted, this would have been it. Fortunately, he could be no such thing. "We must be going. Thank you again for your hospitality. Rukia-san," he summoned, headed for the door.

Kuukaku held him back with a gentle hand on his arm. "I'm sure Rukia-san can catch up with us in a few moments. After all, she won't see Ichigo-kun for another five weeks." Her disarming-yet-suggestive smile was accompanied by a not-so-subtle wink at Ichigo.

"Kuukaku-san!" Rukia exclaimed in mock embarassment.

Ichigo was quick to open the door so Kuukaku could whisk Byakuya out. Ichigo could hear Byakuya sighing and wouldn't have been surprised if the 6th division captain was even muttering ancient swear words under his breath.

Karin was no idiot, but her father certainly was. She grabbed him by the hand and started pulling him up the stairs, smiling over her shoulder. "I'll see you soon, Ruki-nee. I really miss having you around."

Rukia smiled as Isshin waved goodbye amidst being dragged up the stairs. In short order, all was quiet; Isshin and Karin were upstairs, Yuzu was sleeping on the couch, and Byakuya and Kuukaku were outside in Tatsuki's limo.

Ichigo turned to Rukia, still grinning in disbelief. "Can you believe her? Challenging Byakuya like that?"

Rukia chose to ignore the fact that he had referenced Nii-sama in the familiar again. "I suppose she takes after her brother," she teased.

Ichigo chuckled, and then held out his hands in a familiar gesture. "Hey, Beautiful."

She interlaced her fingers with his as a warm, sincere smile spread across her face. "Hey, Handsome." _Meh, since when did I become such a sap?_ Oh well.

"I've been waiting for this," he said. "I've really needed to talk with you."

Rukia knew exactly what was coming. "I'm listening."

Ichigo paused, knowing that Rukia would wait for him patiently. "When you revealed who I once was," he began before choking a bit, "everything felt perfect. Like my whole life finally made sense. Why I could see ghosts before I met you. How fate sent you to me. Everything seemed so obvious then. I can't ever imagine not being a shinigami, and it suddenly became so clear why that is. It all just seemed like it was the only plausible explanation as to how my life could have ended up being so outrageous and incredible and insane and amazing."

"But...?" she gently prodded with encouragement.

"But lately I've been wondering if I really am myself. Am I Ichigo, or am I... am I Kaien? Whose destiny am I living out? Or is it all just beyond my ability to change? I'm so confused - who am I?"

Rukia squeezed his hands like she had done so many times before. With a crafty smile, she gave him the answer she knew was the precise thing he needed to hear - just like all the times before. "I don't care who you are."

Ichigo looked at her, confused.

"Masks, resureccions, human, shinigami, hollow, vaizard, arrancar, who knows _what_ the hell you actually are anymore. But I'll tell you the same answer I've always given you. You are _you_ - the man who swears every day that his own life exists only to protect other people. The same man who threw himself in front of the Soukyouku, just for me. The man I somehow fell head over heels for. To _me_, you'll aways be Ichigo. And I'll _never_ let you forget it."

A single tear formed in his eye, and his lips turned up into a soft grin. Rukia knew instantly that she had quelled any doubts within him, just by the way he breathed and the subtle steadying of his hands. She was relieved that it had been so easy, even if it would still take him a moment or two to fully internalize it consciously.

"You promise?"

Of course she loved Kurosaki Ichigo. He may have once been someone else, but Ichigo was the only person who was so completely synchronized with her soul. Kaien-dono would always be a person who had been a special influence on her life, but no matter what ancient artifacts had to say, he wasn't the man standing before her. Rukia didn't want to marry anyone else. Only Ichigo, only that orange-haired, cocky, wild-sword-swinging shinigami maniac who always got her into trouble. There simply was no other possible way things could ever be.

Her smile widened. "I promise." _Idiot,_ she wanted to add lovingly; but snark was not allowed in an open-heart circle.

After a moment, Ichigo wiped his eye, and then gave her that handsome smile she loved. "Your turn."

Rukia thought for a moment. "Today was the most perfect day I have had in so long."

"Me, too."

"There are so many things I want to say, Ichigo. So many things that I know don't need to be said, but that I want to say anyway." Rukia grabbed his collar and pulled Ichigo down until they were sharing the same breath. "And sometimes, Ichigo, words just aren't adequate."

Ichigo experienced sensory overload as their lips touched for the first time. They were so soft, tender, gentle; a subtle scent of hibiscus perfume augmenting their rosy taste. Her fingers had reached up to his neck and were ruffling through the back of his hair, and he reached around her waist and pulled her into him.

It wasn't a particularly intense kiss. It wasn't overly passionate or excessive. It was, as kisses go, a fairly chaste and innocuous one. Some might even call it fleeting, for they were only together for a brief moment. But neither of them really knew that, considering it was the first time for both of them. To them, it felt like the world melted away for eternity. More importantly, that kiss said everything that ever needed to be said.

"Wow," they both whispered at the same time, then laughed quietly.

They held each other for a few more moments, until Rukia pulled away. As much as they wanted to stay like that forever, Nii-sama was waiting for her; and he only had so much patience. "It was so good to see you."

"Five weeks from today," he said. "I'll see you then."

"I don't know that I'll be able to handle being away from you for so long." _Since when did I lose my fierce independence?_ Rukia complained to herself, but secretly thankful. She had finally found someone who she could let behind her steel facade, the cold iron force of will she had long wrapped around herself while trying to survive the Rukongai and all of the trials and tribulations that came afterwards.

"Me neither."

"I don't want to, but I have to go."

Ichigo nodded and walked her out the door to the car, hands intertwined and expressions tender. "Yeah, I know."

He took her by the hand and helped her into the limosine. She smiled at him, her deep indigo eyes reflecting a glorious full moon that he could swear came out just for her. "See you, Rukia."

"Soon, Ichigo."

With bittersweet emotion, he closed the limo door and knocked on Tatsuki's window.

"Yeeeessss, Ichigo?" she asked with a grin as she rolled it down to greet him face-to-face.

"Take care of 'em for me, okay?" he smirked. Her eyes lit up as he handed her a one-hundred dollar bill.

Tatsuki gave him a look. "You sure?"

"Yeah," he assured her. "Today, I own the world."

***

_Over half a year ago; shortly after the defeat of Aizen in Fake Karakura Town, the climax of the Winter War_

Nnoitra, Ulqiorra, Szayel Aporro, and Yammy all had the sensation of swimming through molten lava when they cast eyes on the woman who entered the room. Despite being an astonishly beautiful lady with gentle, sensitive features, she walked in with a commanding air that meant she was not to be trifled with.

Aaroniero, who at the moment was in a ordinary human form he had not been in for a while, interrupted the quiet discomfort. "Hey, look at the shinigami bitch that---"

Grimmjaw, who already felt like maggots were eating him from the inside out, quivered in pure fear. He had blinked. Before he had done so, Aaroniero was speaking to the perfectly still woman. After he had finished blinking, it was evident that in that span of time, the woman had unsheathed her katana and used it to cleave off Aaroniero's lower jaw and tongue; the latter of which was now writhing on the floor. She stepped on it, grinding it into the dirt with a contemptuous glare leveled at the idiot who had decided to open his mouth.

"Let's get something straight, gentlemen," she instructed as she cleaned the blood off of her katana with Nnoitra's hair, "I am not here to babysit you. I am now in charge of you. And the first rule is that you will always address me by my name. So unless you want to make this any harder on yourselves, you will only call me 'Hikifune-dono'."

They all nodded. They had no idea where Barragan or Zommari were; but they all wished that they had met the same fate as Starrk and Harribel. Just this woman's very aura sent painful jolts of electricity jumping down their spines. Whatever she had in store for them, they couldn't imagine it would be a cake walk.

Satisfied that she had their attention, she continued. "Now who's volunteering first?"

Not a single one of them dared to move a muscle.

"Pathetic," she rebuked, and then proceeded to punish them. It made Aizen's punishments look like tea time.

* * *

_I am so evil finishing the chapter like that, aren't I? And yes, I know very well that many explanations are in order. Too bad I'm not fessing up quite yet.  
**Reviews please!** Tell me what you thought of Rukia & Ichigo's first kiss, Ichigo's thoughts on reincarnation, Rukia's response, and what you thought about the cliffhanger.  
Next chapter: Byakuya finally confronts Kuukaku. _

_Warning - I will try to get the next chapter up tomorrow, but my schedule looks super-tight and it might not get posted until Sunday. You'll just have to stay in suspense. -njx_

* * *

~~Crossover Cup!~~

Today's special guest: _Haruko Haruhara,_ from FLCL!

_HH: _Awww, that's such a sweet kiss!

_Nathan: _Thanks!

_HH: _Now make Rukia do it again in a bunny suit while surfing on a guitar! And make a giant robot proboscis pop out of Ichigo's head!

_Nathan: _And people wonder why FLCL is so strange.


	23. Under a Dark Moon Sky

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Bleach.

_Wow, **2400+ hits** for Chapter 22, and almost** 10,000 hits **for this story in March alone. That's a lot of traffic. I can't even believe it.  
These next three chapters make up the climax of Act II; so we are nearing the half-way mark. Thanks for sticking with me!_

_**Just a quick author's note:** the remainder of Act II makes certain assumptions about gaps in the canonical timeline and other information missing from the manga. While there is technically nothing that I've written that blatantly conflicts with canon material as we know it, if some of you happen to be super-nitpicky you _may _find offhand remarks or comments in the manga that may _theoretically_ imply that said events _may_ not have happened as I describe. I beg those of you who are that anal-retentive to humor me. Thanks! -njx _

* * *

Byakuya, Kuukaku, and Rukia came into Soul Society through the Kuchiki family's private senkai gate.

Rukia quickly spoke up, wanting to make sure she broke the silence before Byakuya could ruin anything. "Nii-sama, Kuukaku-dono, thank you so much. Today was really wonderful." She breathed in the night air deeply. "I'm honestly exhausted, so I'm going to head to bed. Kuukaku-dono, I know your house is a long way from here. I'm sure Nii-sama will be happy to escort you home."

Byakuya affixed her with a stare, but Kuukaku saved her. "Of course he will. Byakuya-san is always a gentleman," she replied, patting him on the shoulder.

He looked like he wanted to smother Rukia in Senbonzakura at the moment, but after Kuukaku had shrugged off his glares all day, the look lost its punch. Rukia just smiled back at him with folded arms and closed eyes. "I _never _would have implied anything else."

Even with closed eyes, Rukia could feel her brother's gaze boring through her skull; but it felt more ticklish than threatening for some reason. "Thank you so much for coming, Kuukaku-dono. I was so glad you came."

"The pleasure was most certainly mine," she replied slyly, wrapping her arm around Byakuya's bicep. He attempted to remain cold and stoic, but was clearly frustrated that it didn't deter the now scantily-clad woman in her ridiculous outfit.

"Good night, Nii-sama, Kuukaku-dono." Rukia turned and headed back towards her room. If she had been telepathic, she was sure she could hear her brother screaming _'how dare you leave me with her'_, but she didn't care.

***

Arriving at her room, Tori was waiting. "How was your evening, Rukia-sama?"

"Wonderful, Tori-san, but I need you to do me a favor immediately. Please check to make sure Nii-sama has left the estate to take Shiba Kuukaku-dono home, and report back to me as soon as it's confirmed."

"Hai, Rukia-sama." It was unusual for Rukia to request anything of her, so Tori was off in a hurry.

Before she could relax, Rukia needed to take care of one last thing. She sat down at the small desk, pulling out a brush and a stack of paper from the drawer. Dipping the brush in ink, she tried her best to remember her calligraphy lessons.

Ugh. How come we can't just use pens here? Then this whole mess would take me thirty seconds.

_You know he's going to be upset,_ Sode no Shirayuki interrupted.

I know, Rukia answered. But it's the right thing to do.

_True,_ her sword agreed; and Rukia got to work.

***

They had just finished walking through the Western edge of Rukongai. As nobility, Byakuya rarely had a need to pass through, but he could tell that Kuukaku was well respected. Wherever she sauntered by, people waved to her and bowed. Everyone referred to her as Oneesan. How she tolerated having half the universe call her this instead of Shiba-dono, he did not understand. Regardless, it was clear to him that they conveyed great respect to her through this title.

I suppose pride and honor come in all forms, he thought. Memories of the young, auburn-haired girl beaming over his satisfaction with her meal flitted in his consciousness. They were followed by the fierce gaze of the other sister, his recollection of the pride in her eyes that she had deduced the truth all on her own.

"You seem contemplative, Byakuya-san."

"There is much to be thought about," he answered evasively.

"It's rare that the Great Prince sees the world through different eyes, isn't it?" she snarked at him.

He said nothing.

Kuukaku had finally gotten some time alone with him, and now she was trying to figure out how to get him to talk. She had deliberately paraded through a particular route in the Rukongai, one where she knew the residents would respect her enough not to pick a fight with a shinigami passing through; but she hadn't counted on everyone stopping to pay tribute every three minutes. On the one hand, it seemed to have impressed him; on the other hand, she wasn't interested in grandstanding with him. That wasn't the type of person Kuukaku wanted him to think she was.

She decided she would revert to a completely safe topic. "Ise Fukutaicho approached me a couple of weeks ago," she started, hoping that he would feel prompted to say something. While he faintly acknowledged she had spoken, he did not say anything further, so she continued. "She came to ask me if she could be responsible for the wedding plans. Said that you had already agreed to the idea, so I acquiesced." Her voice was clearly curious, as if to ask how he could have agreed to such a thing.

Byakuya felt a need to explain. "Kyoraku Taicho requested that I provide her the opportunity."

"Really?" Kuukaku found that a bit odd. She knew Kyoraku relatively well, but found it unusual that he would request such a favor - as if torturing someone with the burdens of planning a wedding could be considered a favor. "And you agreed?"

Byakuya weighed his words carefully. "Under normal circumstances, I would not have considered it. But my division is adjusting to a new acting lieutenant, and it needs even greater attention to insure a smooth transition. I am confident in Ise Fukutaicho's administrative capabilities and her captain's endorsement; therefore it seemed advantageous to accept her offer."

Kuukaku thought about it for a minute. "I'm surprised she knows anything about a Four Houses wedding. I mean, she looks like a Hikifune, or maybe even a Kuchiki; but I don't recognize 'Ise' as one of the noble families. Does she know what she's getting into?"

She thought he would have given her a look for the comparison, but Byakuya didn't seem to care. Instead, he seemed hesitant; as though he was required to say something that would have otherwise been impolite. "She has no family in Soul Society, not in the Sereitei nor in the Rukongai. According to Kyoraku Taicho, she materialized directly on the steps to Shinou Academy. Despite her extreme youth, she was emanating reiatsu; so she was enrolled only moments after she appeared. Based on this, I would doubt Ise Fukutaicho has significant knowledge of noble practices or customs; although I suppose it is possible she had some minor exposure through her captain."

"Interesting," Kuukaku thought out loud. She realized that Byakuya must have held Ise's competence in very high esteem to run an event for which she had minimal knowledge or experience with. To be fair, she knew that Kuchiki Byakuya's opinions on nobility were more open-minded than most might expect, so it wasn't inconceivable that he might permit an outsider to assist in the planning. "So if she has no family here, where did she get her name from, then?"

"Yadomaru Lisa was the one who found and enrolled her. Yadomaru Fukutaicho named her after another child soul she once met in the living city of Nanao, Japan."

Kuukaku was amused. "Kyoraku-san told you all of this? I'm surprised you know so much about her."

Byakuya gave her a facial expression that could best be described as a shrug mixed with pity. "He never ceases to disrespect the woman's privacy. Regardless over whether he is gushing over her like an overly proud father, or tactlessly attempting to court her like an insipid idiot, he leaves no detail of her life undisclosed. I doubt there is a captain in the past fifty years who does not know the woman's favorite flavor of tea."

Kuukaku laughed. "Did I just hear Kuchiki Byakuya use the word 'gushing' in a sentence?"

His only response was a dry, flat, indifferent brow.

Kuukaku ignored the look and tried to spark conversation again. "Rukia-chan was okay with Ise-san taking over the plans?"

"Ise Fukutaicho appears to be a good friend of hers," he answered, almost offhand; as though his mind was elsewhere. "She seemed grateful."

"That's some friend she has there," Kuukaku concluded awkwardly, realizing that she had exhausted that line of discussion. She took another angle. "It seems a bit unusual for Kyoraku-san to insert himself into the situation, doesn't it?"

Byakuya was turned off by the insinuation. Kyoraku Shunsui may have been... eccentric, and as upper nobility he was not entirely uninvolved in the political games that had been so prominent lately. Yet the implication that a captain with his tenure might have devious motivations was completely inappropriate. Byakuya decided that he had enough of this banter. "There is no need for you to stir up discussion about the antics of a loyal but lovesick captain of the Gotei 13."

Kuukaku decided to let his veiled threat roll right past her. Instead, she used his annoyance as an opening to take him where she really wanted to go. "Oh please, Byakuya-san. I know you're holding back on me."

He said nothing, but raised his eyebrow nonetheless. He sensed a clear notion that she was about to rope him into a conversation he wanted no part of.

"Sitting in that... vehicle," she said, forgetting the word, "I could see that you had a lot to say to me; but you were holding back because of your sister."

Byakuya was agitated, but only presented the same scowl he always wore. "What makes you believe I held back because of her?"

Kuukaku was genuinely surprised. "Too respectful to interrogate me, are we?"

"I have no idea what you are referring to."

She turned her face away from him, for the first time all day visibly annoyed. "You won't ask because you think it would insult me as a Head of House."

He said nothing.

"I'm not like you. I don't use my honor as a shield."

Now he was angry. "What are you implying, Shiba Kuukaku?"

Kuukaku refused to let him escalate things, explaining herself casually but with a hint of exasperation in her voice. Now that she had gotten under his skin, it was easy to keep the conversation going. "You've gotten so wrapped up in your own problems that you can't even ask me a question. What, do you think I'm the type to bait you with a question so I can shove it in your face? Other Heads of House may do that, but hell if I'd do that to you. I _respect _you."

Her seemingly sincere affirmation of respect did nothing to alleviate the sour taste forming in his mouth. Byakuya did not like the flagrant references to the aggravations he had with Banzo Tanabi recently. "What question is so pressing that I would have a need to ask it?"

"Not a need," she corrected with a grin. "You want to ask it."

"And what might that be?"

"You know what it is, Byakuya-san. I'm not going to speak for you. I know you would never let someone speak for you, anyway."

Byakuya was thoroughly infuriated, but she was absolutely right. He dropped all pretense. This had to come out in the open. Voice laced with frustration, he let out the question that had been bothering him for hours now: "Why did you leave the Gotei 13?"

Kuukaku's face twisted into a wide, sinister grin. "_Now_ we're getting somewhere."

* * *

_Surprise! Y'all got to have something to say about all the revelations in here -__ reviews, please!!!!_  
And if you look at a side-by-side picture of Nanao and Byakuya (or even _Rukia_), there is a possible resemblance, so don't dismiss it out of hand so quickly. You can see it if you look for it. 

___Next chapter will be long - 3000+ words. It may take an extra day for me to finish formatting it, but it could possibly be up tomorrow. Hmm... perhaps an avalanche of reviews will motivate me...... Stay tuned! -njx_

* * *

~~Crossover Cup!~~

Today's special guest: _Jet Black, _from Cowboy Bebop!

_JB: _This Kuukaku woman is too much to handle.

_Nathan: _Why's that?

_JB: _A one-armed military desserter? C'mon, that's impossible. Who wants to be around someone like that?

_Nathan: _Um, you're a total hypocrite, aren't you?


	24. The Humanization of Kuchiki Byakuya

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Bleach.

_What happened to the reviews for last chapter? I am sad. :( ****__This is quite possibly one of the most important chapters in the entire story, and by far the most difficult to write. I worked my butt off for this one. Please take the time to leave a thoughtful and meaningful review. Thanks. -njx_

* * *

She stopped walking and looked up into the sky, her tone and demeanor both distant and pained. "Did you think I could bare to stay after they promoted him? As though he was righteous, and I was the disgrace?"

Byakuya stopped short. Disgrace? "What are you referring to?"

"My arm," she answered.

He said nothing, but was admittedly puzzled. Somehow, despite his never-changing expression, Kuukaku was able to read it on his face.

"Wait - you don't know how I lost it?"

He shook his head. Honestly, he thought she had lost it by playing with fireworks. He didn't dare say that, because he knew it would have offended her terribly.

"What, did you think I lost it by playing with fireworks?"

How this woman could read his mind was absolutely terrifying.

"Tch. I _wish._ At least it would have been by my own fault."

Byakuya was still. He dare not say anything for fear of trampling on the woman's dignity.

"It's a bit of a long story, I guess, but it started with Banzo Jirobu-dono."

"Tanabi's father?"

"Yeah. You know how he and your grandfather tried to avoid exacerbating things."

Byakuya nodded. Jirobu-dono and Ginrei-sama had been childhood friends, but their relationship became strained when they had both fallen for the same woman, Shihoin Kaori. They had settled the situation amicably in the end, but it had taken a while for the three Houses to sort things out.

"Well, you know how politics can be. Jirobu-dono sacrificed a lot of his pride so that Tanabi wouldn't bear his mistakes. As awful as that snake is, Tanabi always deeply respected and honored his father. So in order not to make Jirobu-dono go through all the same suffering he did for Tanabi's sake all over again, Tanabi wanted to marry off his daughter Ichihime-dono to someone from the Shiba family."

It made perfect sense to Byakuya. The Shiba family was the only uninvolved party.

"Once Jirobu-dono was promoted out of his post as Head of the Kido Corps and into the Royal Guard, Tanabi asked him to offer Ichihime's hand in marriage to Isshashine-niisan when he got there. As you know, Niisan never met Tanabi firsthand. He just assumed that Tanabi was as pleasant as his father."

Byakuya acknowledged this. Jirobu-dono had been a good man; even if he had a bit of a quirky personality. He presented a very regal air but had a boistrous, wild demeanor that was hard to reconcile with his otherwise excessive formality. He had eventually married Kyoraku Shunsui's older sister, Suzuki; the widowed mother of Hikifune Kirio.

Like the Kyoraku family, the Hikifune family was an ancient line in the upper nobility. Some even called it the Fifth House, since like Kirio and her late father, so many of its members had been promoted into the Royal Guard. Tanabi's mother died shortly after he was born, and Jirobu became even more bizarre afterwards - although he still retained his generous and friendly disposition. How Tanabi turned out the complete opposite from his father, though, had always made Byakuya shake his head in wonder.

"In any case, Niisan didn't have a choice. 'Tousama had apparently made some sort of promise with Jirobu-dono years before he died that marriages would never be refused between the Houses. But as you know, after Niisan met Tanabi and saw him for who he really was, he ran away from his arranged marriage with Ichihime-dono."

Considering Byakuya's recent experience with Tanabi, he wondered if he would have done the same had he been in Kurosaki Isshin's shoes. In hindsight, Byakuya was positive that back then, he would have behaved just as immaturely.

"And that's how I lost my arm. Banzo Tanabi demanded it as retribution."

Byakuya's eyes split open in shock. "..._What_?"

"Banzo Tanabi cut off my arm with his own zanpakutou, and then incinerated it with kido right in front of my eyes. I still remember his words: 'A princess for a princess.' In his eyes, if the only daughter of the Banzo House was going to be damaged goods, he wanted the same punishment for the House of Shiba."

Byakuya was horrified. He knew that Banzo Tanabi was worse than scum, and he had known that he wielded his honor like a weapon. Unfortunately, Byakuya also knew that such cruelty was not below the Head of the Kido Corps.

"And then Central 46 promoted that bastard Tanabi to his father's old post! It was too much, Byakuya-san. I couldn't stand it. I know Yamamoto-dono has no jurisdiction over the Kido Corps, but I still felt betrayed. I just couldn't give the Gotei 13 my all after that, and rather than let down my comrades, I left."

Byakuya had been too young at the time to be in the know, but the fact that Jii-sama hadn't told him anything? No wonder Shiba Kuukaku had been such an emotional wreck back then. "How is it possible that I did not know any of this?"

"How the hell should I know why no one told you? I was too busy screaming about having my arm cut off."

Had only he known, Byakuya would have had a completely different perception of Kuukaku when Ginrei-sama asked him to consider her hand in marriage. That last thought racked him with immense guilt. It was his own fault for being such a superficial brat. All Byakuya had done was fulfill the intended consequences of Tanabi's punishment - he had done just that, dismissing Shiba Kuukaku out of hand as a basket case. Byakuya's self-disgust completely rankled him, but his shame overshadowed his anger. "I... I am sorry. I--- I did not know."

"S'Okay, Byakuya-san," she answered kindly, sensing his sincere sympathy. It was another one of the unusual moments that he had shown her genuine emotion; she would remember it.

Byakuya felt obligated to say _something,_ but he was so appalled he had no idea what. "I... I am surprised you do not resent either of your brothers. Isshashine for the anguish he caused you, Kaien for not avenging you."

Kuukaku shrugged, and Byakuya could tell she was taking a moment to be sincere and open with him. "I'm a forgiving woman, Byakuya-san. It's hard to stay angry at Isshashine-niisan. It's not like he expected me to pay the price. And as great a vice captain as he was, Kai-niichan had no chance against a major general. Kaien tried to avenge me, but Tanabi nearly killed him. If not for Ukitake Jushiro showing up at just the right moment, Kaien would have lost his head. I don't know what I would have done if I had lost him. I never would have gotten my life back together without Kai-niichan and Miyako-san."

Byakuya tried to absorb it all. "I... I only wish I had known. Had I known about this, I never would have even considered negotiating with such a barbarian." The idea that Byakuya had humored Tanabi's ravings about preserving the dignity of the Four Houses thoroughly outraged him. If there was anything that Byakuya despised, it was hypocrisy.

Kuukaku gave him a tender smile to thank him for his comment, but then continued to vent her frustrations. "Banzo Tanabi wants to overthrow all of us. He's bitter at Yoruichi-san, too. Probably because when Jirobu-dono bent over backwards to meet Tanabi's request for a bride from the House of Shihoin, he didn't expect to marry her younger sister Yohana."

Now that was completely new information. "Yohana-dono was a Shihoin? Sisters with _her_?" He had made a point of never saying that woman's name if he could help it.

"Of course she was. You know how important lineage is to the Royal Guard. Tanabi wanted to follow his father there. He would never be accepted if he was the one to taint the family tree; Division Zero places great importance on the handful of pure bloodlines still left."

"True," Byakuya agreed. Still, he never would have even guessed.

"Obviously, they looked nothing alike. The lavender tint in Yohana's hair was the only thing that gave it away."

Byakuya plumbed his memories for an image of her. Yohana was a soft-spoken, quiet woman who kept to herself. Her albinism made it difficult for her to leave the comfort of her home, for fear of severe sunburn. Byakuya could not remember such lavender tint, but he had never really looked. Shiba Kuukaku, on the other hand, was a good friend of the Shihoin family. She would certainly know better than he would. With Yohana's condition, it would have been easy for someone to miss that she was a younger sister of the Shihoin princess.

He had only seen Yohana on a few occasions, when a wedding of the upper nobility required her presence as part of proper social protocol; but he had been a brat back then and wouldn't have paid much attention to her in particular. Byakuya had heard unsubstantiated rumors that she suffered badly in House of Banzo. Gossip amongst aristocracy had indicated that as soon as she had born Tanabi an heir, she committed suicide by poison under the ruse that she had died in childbirth.

Byakuya put his hand on his chin, something he usually did when he was thinking deeply.

"What is it, Byakuya-san?"

"It would explain why Tanabi never took his accusations of scandal to the Council for Nobility. He knew the House of Shiba would never support his charges, regardless of the situation. The House of Shihoin would likely avoid expressing support for him; still begrudging the way Yohana-dono must have been treated. Without support from another one of the Four Houses, he knew the claim would never gain traction. But then why bother? What argument does Tanabi have with the House of Kuchiki?"

"I don't know, but you've been leery of Tanabi ever since Rukia-chan came back from a date with him. She was so traumatized that she refused to let you play matchmaker ever again."

He tried not to let his deep irritation show, but he was just too tired trying to keep this woman from getting personal. "How did you know about that?"

"Oh c'mon, Byakuya-san. Do you think everything that happens in your world is outside the eyes and ears of those around you?"

He exhaled in exasperation. It was hopeless.

"Speaking of Rukia-chan, do you think it would kill you to call her 'Imoto' once in a while? If those Kurosaki girls call her 'sister', you can too."

Byakuya was not pleased with the redirection in conversation. As much as he had been genuinely upset about Kuukaku's revelation, he was not about to let her misinterpret it as permission to comment on his personal affairs. "What right do you have to speak on the subject?"

"I have every right in the world. That girl is marrying my nephew-- brother? --- whatever the hell he is, and she's going to be my family. Are you going to be the only one who doesn't treat her that way?"

That was the last straw. She had jabbed at him one too many times today, and now he was livid. It was one thing for her to try and undermine his dignity, but this encroachment was unforgivable. Byakuya drew his blade, his temper getting the best of him. "You challenge my pride."

"_Unbelievable_," Kuukaku muttered. "Are you _kidding_ me?"

"My family is not for you to judge."

"Oh, give me a break, Byakuya-san," she chortled. "Is your pride so shallow that you'll swing swords with a lady over _this_?"

He slashed wide, not hesitating one moment further. Kuukaku flashed back out of the way before drawing her own zanpakutou.

"Ugh, you stubborn-headed, bipolar _prince_. Must it _always_ come to blades with you?"

The metallic clang of steel was the only sound in the still night air as Byakuya relentless assaulted her, trying to find an opening. Kuukaku was not as fast as he was, but her defensive skills were excellent and she was well-trained with a sword. "My, my, is this a sore topic?" she taunted. "Since when did the Great Prince have hissyfit mood swings?"

_"You. Trample. On. My. Pride!"_ he insisted, his anger completely overtaking him - but it threw off his form. Byakuya was not used to fighting while truly angry - it was one of the things he had struggled with when he first learned to wield a sword. It was what Ginrei-sama had chastised him thousands of times while sparring as his student.

Since then, Byakuya never really experienced _anger. _Yes, he got mad or annoyed or disgusted or dissatisfied or put off or whatever, but never truly _angry. _Most of the time, he didn't care one iota about his opponent or about the circumstances. He just cut them down, as duty demanded. But the combined weight of today's experiences had just completely thrown him for a loop, and he couldn't get a grip on himself. His head was swimming with emotions and feelings that somehow detached him from his usual indifference. And because of that, Byakuya was fighting for the first time with a handicap, and not an insignificant one. Kuukaku easily dodged him, kicking the blade in its downswing to throw off his balance. It was humiliating. Byakuya cursed himself a thousand times over - he was completely unraveling.

Kuukaku wasn't going to let him push her around, nor would she let him back down. Kuukaku knew she hit a raw nerve - something immensely hard to do with him - and she was eager with anticipation. The _real_ Kuchiki Byakuya was hiding behind that mask, and Kuukaku had been waiting all night to see him. She wasn't completely sure why he was overreacting over this particular comment, but she had an idea; and Kuukaku didn't come all this way and work this hard to get nothing in return. Goddamnit, even if she _died_ over it, she was going to find out who was really lurking underneath that scarf.

They circled around each other for a moment. "Is this your version of dancing?" Kuukaku mocked him. Byakuya pulled back for a wide swing, but she swiftly came at him. Her attack was not intended to kill or even injure, but rather to keep him from striking with all of his strength; which would clearly overpower her. "What, are we gonna do the shikai waltz and bankai tango after this, too?" Blades clashed again as he renewed his attack with intensity, sparing no force.

Despite the strength of his two-handed swing, Kuukaku locked swords with him. _"What's more important?"_ she challenged him, her voice serious as she strained to keep from being overthrown. "Your pride, _or your sister's heart?"_

The pressure on Kuukaku's katana eased as Kuchiki Byakuya rapidly regained his composure. He stood for a moment, trying to stare her down, but Kuukaku simply wasn't intimidated by him. She stood her ground, and a satisfying smirk of triumph formed on her face when Byakuya blinked first. After what seemed like many moments, Byakuya resheathed his katana.

Kuukaku put her own sword away and pretended like nothing happened. "Seriously, you need to think about it."

Byakuya was silent. Kuukaku could definitely tell that he was still angry, but she wasn't sure if it was with her, or with himself.

"Don't pretend to understand," he finally said.

"What, do you think I'm incapable of understanding!?" she yelled, losing her temper for the first time that evening. "You're a fool, Kuchiki Byakuya. You think I don't hurt a thousand deaths when I see my brother Kaien's face with orange hair? You don't realize that I would sooner cut off my other arm than see a constant reminder of someone who meant the world to me? What an ass you are. Of all the dishonorable things someone could do, that's the only one that spits on my pride. What makes you think that you're the only expert on losing someone precious?"

Byakuya was completely dumbfounded. The last person to speak to him like this was Jii-sama, and that was a long time ago.

"Your own sister - _yes,_ sister - lost three of her best friends - no, _family_ - that she had in the Rukongai before she escaped the stray dog of death called Inazuri. Then you pulled her apart from Renji to let her die a slow, cold death of neglect in the Great Cage of Kuchiki Nobility. Your pride is worthless if you think you're the only one who's suffered. I don't care how much Rukia looks like Hisana-dono, and how hard it is for you to look at her. _Look Rukia in the face and honor your late wife by calling Rukia the name she deserves!"_

Fifty years ago, Kuchiki Byakuya had decided that emotions were meaningless. They made you weak. He had cast them aside when Hisana had died. Byakuya didn't need them anymore. The only one he needed was pride, because his position demanded it. Everything else was unnecessary. Happiness, sadness, joy, grief, courage, fear - they were worthless emotions. Duty and pride could solve everything.

Today, though, he had begun to question this decision. Throwing away his emotions may have made him strong, but they also made him callous and cruel. His recent interactions with Banzo Tanabi made him realize that this was the furthest he could be from wisdom.

The diamond case around his heart was shattered by this woman's words, and he was deeply ashamed of himself - no, _disgusted._ Ashamed of all the wrong he had done, all of the neglect and all of the suffering he had caused Rukia. Ashamed of how he once left his sister Rukia to die. Disgusted with how he had even threatened that she would die by his own hand.

Byakuya had desecrated Hisana's memory with all the awful sins he had once committed against her sister --- iniquities he never forgived himself for. He was that same miserable, horrible, awful monster - the same monster who exploited a poor helpless vagrant, who was incapable of looking past himself; the same self-centered asshole who was too afraid to face his self-disgust. He had born a false pride for over fifty years - _because Kuchiki Byakuya had never changed._ Kuchiki Byakuya was still that same terrible piece of shit that never deserved Hisana in the first place.

"What is it now, Byakuya-san? 'How dare I speak to you like this?' Damn straight. It's about time. If no other Head of House can rebuke you, then who will - _God himself?_"

Byakuya held up his hand, gesturing her to stop. The expression on her face was explosively angry, but Kuukaku was holding her tongue to give him an opportunity to respond. The fire in her eyes was familiar - it was as if Kurosaki Karin was challenging him all over again.

The Great Prince of the Four Houses, 6th Division Captain Kuchiki Byakuya, withdrew his sword - and dropped it on the ground.

* * *

_The plot begins to unfold, eh?_

**_*REVIEWS PLEASE!* __There's a lot of stuff here that's ripe for feedback - interplay, character motivations, justification of OOC behavior for Byakuya, interpretation of Kuukaku, how much did you feel the volatile emotional spikes, did the end of the chapter shock you - there's so much to comment on. Please, please take a minute or two to collect your thoughts into a review that tells me what parts really spoke to you. Authors really need that information to thrive. Thanks._**

_Next chapter: The end of Act II, with author's notes. _

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~~Crossover Cup!~~

Today's special guest: _Winry Rockbell, _from Full Metal Alchemist!

_Nathan: _Welcome to the program! We have everyone's favorite blond-hottie-gearhead, Winry!

_Winry: _That's such a terrible story about Kuukaku's arm. Do you think she would let me give her automail?

_Nathan: _I don't know. Do you think you could build something that would resist damage from fireworks?

_Winry (throws wrench at Nathan's head): _Of course I can! Who the hell do you think you're talking to?

_Kuukaku: _Now _that's_ a woman after my own heart.


	25. The Death of Kuchiki Byakuya

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Bleach.

_Thanks for all the love, folks. Author's notes for targeted feedback below. Thanks! -njx_

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Kuukaku's anger melted into soul-shattering astonishment, and her stance softened, arm hanging loose and completely incapable of believing what she had just seen.

_To drop his sword? _It was unfathomable. For Byakuya to forsake himself? That was _unimaginable. _

She was completely confounded. "Byakuya-san...!"

_"Enough."_

Kuukaku waited for him to do something. _Anything. _

Indeed, something then happened. The bright full moon in the dark sky, the ants and grass and trees and all that existed in between, everything that was present at that moment in that place witnessed something that even the Omniscient Eye of Fate itself never would have conceived. To the complete and utter disbelief of Shiba Kuukaku, Kuchiki Byakuya began to cry.

"Shiba Kuukaku," he spoke, his voice firm and determined but betraying the overflowing tears that were streaming down his face and staining his scarf. "I am sorry."

Kuukaku was struck by his apology like someone had just injected it into her chest. It was not a mere three word sentence. Whether it was woman's intuition, or something much deeper, she didn't know; but Kuukaku could tell those words were layered with years - maybe even _decades_ - of grief, sadness, shame, and regret. They beheld a gravity so immense that the earth and sky and sea could only appear as mere specks against its vast enormity.

And as much as it sounded like it was an apology to himself, for some reason that Kuukaku did not quite understand, she could tell that the words were truly, deeply, and completely aimed at her alone.

Kuukaku carefully stepped towards him. Slowly and cautiously, she reverently picked up his katana; and with grace and elegance not typically associated with the Head of the Shiba House, Kuukaku carefully handed it back to him. "Like I said before," she said gently, "I'll forgive you, but only if you smile."

Like before, he didn't smile, but he didn't grimace either. He hesitated; and with eyes closed, Byakuya took the blade back from her respectfully and gently resheathed it.

"Byakuya-san, talk to her. It may be different, but Rukia-chan loves you just as much as Hisana-dono did. You owe it to her."

He sighed, too emotional to speak. Fortunately for him, it came out the same way all of his other sighs of exasperation did.

Kuukaku dared to wipe the tears off his cheek. He didn't stop her. "Promise me, Byakuya-san."

"I... I promise."

She paused for a moment, looking into his eyes. He was gazing past her, his stare distant and forlorn; as though he felt his soul belonged somewhere else. Somewhere where the unforgiven go. It hurt Kuukaku to see him like this - it wasn't what she had intended. She didn't mind riling him up a little bit if it would let her find the man she wanted to see, but she didn't know that when she found him, he would be so dead inside.

Putting her courage to the test, Kuukaku tried to find the words to comfort him, but knew she would not find them. With hesitation, she chose to break the heavy silence with a praise he would accept. "Hisana-dono must have been really special," Kuukaku commented quietly.

His voice was solemn but genuine. "Hisana did not know Kuchiki-_sama,_" he said, the honorific laced with nonchalant contempt. "She knew _Byakuya._"

Kuukaku had never heard him ever refer to his own honor with disgust. It was eye-opening. "I know both men," she replied softly, "although I prefer the latter one." Kuukaku took his hand and pulled him forward. "C'mon, it's late. Take me home."

***

They walked for another fifteen minutes until her home was in sight. Although he had quickly let go of her hand after his little outburst, Kuukaku noticed that Byakuya allowed an aura of solace to hang between them. It wasn't quite companionable silence, nor could it be best described as an amicable silence, either - but the rest of their walk home did not have a heavy or awkward tension as it had when they left the Kuchiki estate earlier that night. It was, perhaps, a peaceful consolation; a humble man's acknowledgement that maybe, just _maybe,_ she did indeed respect _him,_ rather than just the man who reflected the position and title he carried.

The night air had begun a quiet breeze, and from the distance they could see the sway of tall grass in the fields beside her unusual house. Kuukaku had expected Byakuya to leave her there and return home, but she was pleasantly surprised that he chose to accompany her all the way to her front door.

She spoke first, her tone sincere and personable. "Thank you for walking me home, Byakuya-san."

"You're welcome, Kuukaku-san."

She smiled coyly, unable to resist. "Did you just voluntarily call me 'Kuukaku-san'? My, my; you're very interesting today."

He sighed for what must have been the 17,635th time that evening. "Indeed."

Kuukaku laughed. "I must admit, Byakuya-san, I enjoy your company. You're quite the fellow."

Byakuya responded with hesitation. "You are a most interesting woman."

She playfully pushed him on the chest, deciding that some lighthearted banter would do him some good. "C'mon, now, Byakuya-san. Surely you can give me a better compliment than _that_," she teased. "Proper ettiquette dictates you be a tad more forthcoming," she added suggestively.

Byakuya could not help but feel like this woman had ensnared him with every conceivable trap ever devised. "I... I found your company most enlightening."

"How about _'entertaining'_?" she said, stepping into his personal space.

This woman was infuriating. "Yes," he relented. He was too spent; anything to get this woman off his back. "Most entertaining."

She laughed loudly as she took the hint and gave him some room. "Oh, Byakuya-san, you always sucked at lying. It doesn't suit you. You can just admit that you would have preferred I hadn't joined you this evening."

"_No--_ no," he quickly denied with true sincerity. "I... I am truly grateful." It was true. He may have not been thrilled at first, but Kuukaku had defused all of the awkward moments at the Kurosaki home, and had been an eloquent conversationalist who kept the meal lively. Without her there, he was sure it would have descended into something incredibly uncomfortable.

As much as she turned him inside out all evening long, she was sociable with him. Sociable company was not something Byakuya often experienced, and he always appreciated the opportunity to be at ease; or as much as could be expected, given the churning anguish that was storming through his soul at the moment. The last thing he wanted was for her to misinterpret him and feel underappreciated, or even unwanted. Even more than that, he did not want to leave her with the impression that he bore her animosity for the evening's unusual turn of events. "I am glad that you accompanied us today, and I appreciate the opportunity that it afforded me to walk you home this evening."

Her eyes beamed high in half-mocking surprise. "Such a compliment I never expected from you, Byakuya-san."

"Good night, Shiba Kuukaku-dono," he said as politely as he could muster given the circumstances. He was worried that with all of his emotional turmoil, it may have sounded curt rather than civil, and he had not intended it to come across that way.

Kuukaku inched closer to him and kissed him on the lips. He didn't kiss her back at all - she might as well been kissing a block of marble. She guessed that he was at least marginally receptive, though; even if only as not to offend her. Personally, she doubted that was the case. He certainly didn't pull away, and Kuchiki Byakuya had ample time to do that. His soft haori felt nice up against her breast, and she could faintly feel his heart beating against it. For a moment, she hoped that he would give in, but he didn't.

"Good night, Kuchiki Byakuya-dono."

Kuukaku pulled away slowly with a smile powerful enough to overthrow a kingdom. It would have taken enough willpower to contain the entire universe for a man not to follow in after her - but she knew Kuchiki Byakuya had a lot of willpower, so she didn't expect him to move.

She looked at him one last time, her seductive smile still present, and closed the door behind her.

It was late. The bright full moon was descending in the otherwise dark, blackened sky. Kuchiki Byakuya knew that if he wanted to get some sleep, he would have to shunpo home. Yet this evening, he opted to walk the entire way; soaking in the miracles of nature, the jarring poverty of the shacks in the Rukongai, and the solemn quietude that afforded him a chance to think.

***

Dawn arrived as Kuchiki Byakuya arrived at his estate. He was beyond tired, both physically and emotionally; and he would have to be in the office in a few hours. With a new acting lieutenant, Byakuya could not afford to even entertain the notion of not being in the office early. Impressions and expectations needed to be set.

Byakuya headed quickly to the memorial shrine room, disappointed that he would not have the opportunity to sit his usual amount of time, but he could not sleep unless he paid his respects first. He shut the door to the room, lit the incense that the servants had set up for him, and opened the screens to see Hisana's picture - but a note fell out.

Lifting it off the floor, he recognized it as Rukia's distinct handwriting:

_Hisana will never forgive you if you die alone._

Byakuya was instantly enraged. He was angry, sad, frustrated, irritated, ashamed, agitated, offended, irked, disgusted, despaired, crushed, annoyed, infuriated, outraged, revolted, and overwhelmed. But at that moment, there was one feeling that physically brought him to his knees and caused his eyes to explode in salty tears; one singular emotion so powerful that it swallowed him alive and pushed the others out of the way, dwarfing them all.

Kuchiki Byakuya was lonely.

* * *

_"Kuchiki, that's why you must never, never, never die alone."  
~Shiba Kaien_

**_And thus the cherry blossoms wither to the ground - Fate's Curtain closes again, for here endeth Act II._**

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_AUTHOR'S NOTES_

1. Almost all of this act was originally written in one sitting. I basically started with the idea of a Byakuya coming for dinner to meet the Kurosaki family, and Rukia and Ichigo conspiring to give him a blind date. Kuukaku was a good choice, since she's sassy and can go toe-to-toe with him as a fellow Head of House. I wanted to use Kuukaku's arm as a plot device anyway, so this was a perfect setup. What flowed from there just came out so perfectly that I stuck with the idea. The Kuu/Bya interplay (even when one-sided) just seemed so perfect that I fell in love with the idea. I don't want to say that it was spontaneous, but I will say that once I wrote the rough draft for Act II, I was so happy with it that I went back and heavily revised my initial outline. I'm glad that happened, too, because I think the story is (and will be) much, much better this way.

2. I only had four major thematic concepts that I wanted to do in Act II: get Karin to the wedding, a nice first kiss scene, expose the villains, and prepare for a scene in Act III between Rukia and Byakuya. Like I said, when I started, I wasn't exactly sure where I was going to end up, but I definitely accomplished those goals, and I think that this was just really satisfying. Of all the pieces I've written as a fanfic author, this act is one of my favorites.

3. Any non-crackalicious pairing done with Byakuya is extremely difficult, since he is so cold. I got a lot of feedback, though, that implied he has no emotions whatsoever. I disagree completely. Byakuya is actually _very_ emotional - he just keeps it all to himself. His deep conflicts in the Soul Society arc, how he misses Hisana terribly, how he was brash, hot-headed brat as a kid - it's all there, it's just _buried_ under an iron mask that he imposes upon himself. That's why Byakuya seems so remarkably human, rather than robotic - yes, he's cold and stoic, but not because he doesn't _care_ but because it's his _coping mechanism. _

For those of you who thought Byakuya going all Senbonzakura over Kuukaku was a bit of a stretch, I think I disagree. In my opinion, it's the same thing - Byakuya hiding his emotions behind his sword. If you go back and re-read the portions with Byakuya during the Soul Society arc, I think you can see it. He hides his turmoil behind a theoretical duty to protect his pride - in Byakuya's case, pride is a synonym for the mask he wears to hide his inner conflict. It's that "duty" that causes him to bring blade to Kuukaku. The instinct to protect his pride is so strong because that's the lie he tells himself to hide from the truth - that he's really hiding from the true man he is, the one he doesn't like or respect.

I think that's how he deals with his grief, and why he deliberately avoids expressing his relationship with Rukia to her in manga canon. It's obvious he cares very, very much about her (witness the scene between Byakuya and Zommari), but the fact that Rukia doesn't really see that side of him is something that requires a lot of explanation. I crafted this backstory for him to explain why he's so emotionally constipated with her - because it seemed obvious to me to assume that he has trouble expressing his care for Rukia because of her resemblance to Hisana, and that alone just makes him so uncomfortable that he can't deal with it. If you take this characterization of Byakuya, it's not hard at all to fit it in to the manga's representation of him.

4. Once I had that perspective on Byakuya, I wanted to reveal him that way. Prying him open just seemed to be a lot of fun, so I assaulted him from all angles. I think that part of it was this: I wanted to justify why Byakuya would actually let Ichigo marry Rukia. I needed to portray Byakuya in such a way so that he would support Rukia's decision rather than fight it. Obviously, I could have made Byakuya the villain in an IchiRuki wedding story, but that's been done before and that dramatic conflict seemed trite. So I decided I wanted him as a "good guy", but then I needed to justify his acceptance. Putting his own loneliness front-and-center made it easy for me to demonstrate why Byakuya would be supportive of Rukia rather than antagonistic. Building towards the ultimate idea that Byakuya was really drowning in loneliness took some effort, but I liked what I produced.

5. Writing Kuukaku is an absolute blast. She is by far one of the best characters to write for. I was inspired by a story called **'Nonchalance' by DreamScene**, which had a sassy portrayal of Karin as an older teen. Imagining Kuukaku in the same vein was easy. Kudos also to **Lil' Monk,** for his (hers?) very deep and thoughtful interpretations on Kuukaku.

6. Kudos to **Etiena **for her story **'Catalyst'** that gave me good inspiration for crafting Kurosaki Karin in this act. I don't know that I would have gotten her right with Etiena's help and many discussions.

7. Some of you did not quite get the 'dropped sword' gesture. In the code of the samurai, dropping your sword is the ultimate act of dishonoring one's self. It is preferable to commit seppuku / hari kiri (ritual suicide) than to do so. The closest verbal equivalent I think of is this: "You embody honor, and I possess all shame in existence. Even if heaven and earth were to stand between us, it would not be an adequate separation between your vast honor and my despicable shame." Dropping one's sword is the equivalent of stating that one is incapable of being honored; it is an act of extreme cowardice - almost as if you never had the courage to lift a sword in the first place. It is an _extreme_ act. In the context of this story, Byakuya is effectively saying that the moment he raised a sword to Kuukaku, he lost all honor. When Kuukaku picked it up off the ground and gave it back to him, it was an even greater display of forgiveness and kindness; as if to say that honor is not a matter of importance between them, and that he can wield his sword again with respect. The entire exchange is fundamentally dramatic, and _incredibly_ personal. I would say that if anything, Kuukaku picking up his sword and handing it back to him - and him _accepting_ it - is a _much_ bigger deal than kissing him.

8. Comments on romanization: yeah, forgive me for botching the Japanese language. English isn't my primary language either, so you can't expect me to get _two_ languages right all the time. I try, really I do. Sometimes, I admit, especially with swear words, I deliberately misromanize to provide a more evocative expression (e.g. "ksa" versus the properly romanized "kuso"). In any case, all corrections are greatly appreciated.

**Request for targeted feedback:**

1) If you're going to talk about Byakuya being OOC, please let me know whether you think it _works_ or if it _didn't _work. Some of you said he was OOC, but I couldn't tell whether that meant "you did a good job of showing how and why he is OOC, and therefore it's awesome" or "that's so OOC I think that's a load of crap WTF do you think you're doing". So please clarify. :)

2) You have to tell me what you thought about the Kuu/Bya kiss. I _really_ need to know, so 'fess up. Thanks.

3) What did you think of Rukia's note? Did you expect it? Like it? Hate it? What about Byakuya's reaction? Well-written, at least?

4) Please tell me that you cried at least once in Act II, or at the very least felt your heart wrench inside your chest. Many of you told me how absolutely outraged you were to find out about the injustice done to Kuukaku. That feedback is really, really precious - so if you ever felt some raw, strong emotion while reading this, please let me know.

5) Tell me how much that opening/closing quote from Shiba Kaien fooled you. I'd love to know.

6) How are you liking the plot twists so far? Hikifune sounds badass, doesn't she? Tanabi sounds so evil you can't even describe him, huh? Clue me in, clue me in. If you think you can see where this story is going, _you are so wrong you don't even know it. _Heh heh heh.

**Act III coming soon - the Wedding!!! Hurray!!!**

**REVIEWS PLEASE!!!!!!!!! CLICK THAT GREEN LINK DOWN THERE, EVERYBODY!!!! THANKS SO MUCH!!!**


	26. Sisterly Guidance

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Bleach.

_Lots of conflicting feedback on Act II. See responses at the end. __I hope y'all like Act III._

___Sorry it's taken a while to update. Based on feedback, I needed to expand some scenes in Act III to help provide the necessary flavor, and that combined with a case of strep throat and a crazy work schedule has made it difficult to get chapters out as quickly as I did before._

_Reminder that this story is based on manga canon, not the anime. __-njx_

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_"I exist as a being without any interruption in the cycle of life and death!"  
~Szayel Aporro _

* * *

Rukia woke up uncomfortably the morning after she returned from dinner with Ichigo. She was sweating - and _blushing._

I need a cold shower _right now._

Thrusting Sode no Shirayuki in the hot bath in order to freeze it ice-cold, she stripped off her damp yukata and jumped in.

***

She arrived at Captain Ukitake's pavillion to find her 9th seat, Mushishi Kunda, waiting for her by the door. "Kuchiki Fukutaicho!"

"Good morning, Mushishi-san."

"Ukitake Taicho is in the 4th division infirmary. Kotetsu San-Seki is sleeping in the nurse's quarters, she was up with him all night. Ise Fukutaicho is waiting for you inside."

"Thank you, Mushishi-san." Apparently, all of the seated officers knew about the arrangement. She supposed it couldn't be helped, seeing as how sick Ukitake-sama had been lately.

"Good morning, Rukia-san," Nanao greeted her warmly as she came in. "How did it go last night?"

"Oh my god, it was _wonderful_. Nii-sama couldn't get over how amazing Yuzu-chan's cooking is. She really went all out." Rukia was glad to find Nanao here in the office. Although they had been friendly professional buddies before Rukia got engaged, it shocked her when Nanao had offered to plan the wedding. Rukia was incredibly grateful, and it only took a few days of chit-chat over the plans for them to fall into a real friendship.

Until then, Rukia mostly hung out with Momo, whom she had grown close with while training under her for the 13th division vice captain seat. Momo, though, was almost a century younger than she was; still a teenager who was learning the ropes. Rukia, who had the duty of nobility and was now on her way to get married, was at the point in her life when she was well beyond the teenage years. It had always been an act in the real world, and in truth, she had grown a bit tired of it. She loved Momo dearly and they hung out all the time, but their friendship had come about through six weeks of forced interaction. Had that not occurred, Rukia doubted they would have naturally become close pals; but Rukia was glad that fate put them together.

Even though Nanao was technically almost sixty years younger than she was, though, it was completely the opposite. Nanao was the most adult woman that Rukia had ever been friends with, and she naturally gravitated to her for that, among other reasons. There was something about her and Nanao that just fit; a certain something that just made them understand each other. Although Rukia had always found interaction with other women mildly awkward, she felt perfectly natural around Nanao; like it was almost familial. Deep mutual respect underlaid a fundamental appreciation of each other's perspective, and Nanao always gave Rukia great advice.

Rukia didn't know what she would do without her. Normally, both Rukia and Nanao were emotionally closed people, but with such close interaction over the wedding plans, they naturally had grown to vent and confide in each other. It was probably the only way Rukia could have kept her sanity being three weeks away from Ichigo, and she didn't want to think about the fact that she wouldn't see him again for another five weeks. For some reason, seeing Nanao in her office felt like a boon from the heavens.

"C'mon, c'mon - what about Kurosaki-san? You didn't go there for the _food_," she teased.

"It was _so_ good to see him," Rukia nearly swooned. Now, Rukia never swooned over anything, but if she ever did, this would have been the closest thing to swooning she would ever do. "Ichigo was _very_ dapper. He clearly wanted to impress Nii-sama."

"_And_....?"

"Nanao-san!" Rukia chided, embarassed.

Nanao laughed. "Relax, Rukia-san, I'm just teasing. How did Operation: _'Date for Kuchiki Taicho'_ go?"

Rukia started cracking up on the spot. "_Hilarious!_ Absolutely hilarious."

"Really?" Nanao asked, amazed that anything related to Kuchiki Taicho could be funny.

"You've never seen _anything_ like it. Kuukaku-dono had him wrapped around her finger. It was the funniest thing I have _ever_ seen. He would glare at her and then she would laugh it off like he was a petulant child. I have never seen anyone with so much brazen guts in my entire life. _Uproarious._"

"I don't know," Nanao thought out loud. "Kurosaki-san can be pretty ballsy."

"Yeah, well it definitely runs in the family, because he's got _nothing_ compared to Kuukaku-dono."

"What I would have given to be a fly on the wall for that," Nanao mused. "Anyway, I have some stuff to go over with you about the wedding, but I wanted to give something to you first."

"What?"

"Nothing much, I just stumbled across these in the library the other day, and thought you might want to read them." Nanao handed her two books, one titled _'The Joy of Marriage'_ and the other _'Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Sex But Were Afraid to Ask'_.

"Thanks," Rukia said, flipping the books over to look at the back. The first one was no big deal, but Rukia was a bit embarassed about the latter one. Not because Nanao had given it to her - Rukia looked to Nanao for these kinds of things - but rather, she was embarrassed because she was so eager to read it. A book was much more up Rukia's alley than having to discuss the matter with someone in person. Not that she didn't know the basics, but still; she was sure there was a bit more to it than that.

"Is something the matter? I'm sorry, I didn't mean...."

"Oh, no! Please, no, don't apologize, Nanao-san! I really appreciate it. It's just that.... well, uh, the idea of getting married actually scares the hell out of me."

"Everybody gets a little nervous, Rukia-san."

"No! It's not the getting married part - I'm actually ready for _that._ It's... everything else that comes afterwards."

Nanao gave her a puzzled look. "What do you mean?"

"Er, uh..." Rukia knew she probably seemed childish, but it was a defense mechanism by now. Growing up in one of the worst parts of the Rukongai, Rukia saw things no child should ever see - and growing up, the only physical intimacy she had ever seen was not the kind where both parties had the same mutual interest. "The whole being naked thing," she blushed, looking down at her feet.

Nanao started laughing uncontrollably. "I can assure you it won't be a problem."

Rukia looked at her sheepishly. "I'm not gonna ask."

Nanao playfully gave her a mock glare. "Amongst all of the vice captains, only Sasakibe has been a shinigami longer than I have. You've been insulated because you live amongst nobility, but those of us who grew up in the barracks our whole lives have a very different set of experiences."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be, Rukia-san. I've been a shinigami since I was practically ten years old. I made good decisions, but sometimes I made bad ones, too. And I got over them. I know enough to tell you that just like anything else, sleeping with someone can be a good thing or a bad thing, depending on whether or not you both really know what you're doing."

Rukia listened attentively, slightly embarassed but curious to hear an alternate perspective on the matter.

"The first guy I slept with was a shinigami named Kano Ashido. I really liked him - maybe even loved him - and I think he felt the same way. It was the right decision, and I was glad I did; since he disappeared on a mission a week later and never came back. Me and Kyoraku Taicho? Yeah, I'll be damned if I ever let _that_ happen again."

"_Whoa,_ Nanao-san, too much information," Rukia groaned.

"Oh, c'mon. I knew you'd ask me eventually."

"Nanao-san!"

"Okay, well, maybe you wouldn't. Sorry. Just frustrated, that's all."

"What's wrong?"

"Oh, Kyoraku Taicho is driving me crazy. He wants me to be his date for the wedding, and he's dreadfully persistent. I love the man, but you know that my relationship with him is not healthy."

Rukia knowingly nodded. If you wanted to be on the bad end of a _Hado #92: Death Cannon_, bringing up that topic with Nanao was a surefire way to experience it firsthand. "So find someone else to go with, then."

Nanao fidgeted. "Yeah, well... no one else has asked me yet."

Rukia was incredulous. "Why? Are you _waiting_ to be asked?" shocked that Nanao would wait for a man to do anything. Nanao was way too much of a feminist. "That's not like you, Nanao-san. Why don't you just ask whomever yourself?"

"I can't do that!"

"Why not?"

"Oh, I don't know. I suppose I could. It's just... I want to be _noticed._"

Rukia patted her close friend on the arm. "I know, Nanao-san."

Nanao had long been frustrated with her second-class standing amongst the lieutenants. Relative to the other vice captains, she had the weakest stamina; so despite the fact that she could blow up buildings with the snap of her fingers (a little known fact), Nanao would have been easily killed in the Winter War. Both Hisagi and Matsumoto had barely survived, despite their expertise and experience as combatants. Nanao may have been the vice president of the Shinigami Women's Association, but it was a position of minimal influence.

On top of that, Nanao's ambition to become a captain was mocking her in the face. The 5th division had an opening, but Rukia knew that Nanao struggled with her zanpakutou a lot. It was hard for her to even practice with it - it was made of gold, a soft metal; so blocking even a single strike from a steel katana would damage it. Rukia didn't dare ask Nanao too many questions about her zanpakutou - another surefire way to piss Nanao off was to even mention anything related to it - but every now and then Nanao would gripe about it to her, complaining to Rukia that her tanto was being more needy than usual and driving her nuts.

All together, Nanao had always felt like the Gotei 13 thought of her as a worthless, second-rate lieutenant. Nanao had told her on several occasions that planning the wedding was the best thing she ever did. Rukia teased Nanao for being a masochist - to which Nanao had given her a hearty laugh and a weird "You have no idea" - but Rukia knew that deep down, Nanao was thriving on having so much control over such a big event. It was a big opportunity for her to prove herself, and Rukia understood how Nanao was really hoping the higher-ups would notice her executive skills.

"Anyway, Rukia-san, in your case," Nanao continued, locking away her insecurities like she did so often, "you and Kurosaki-san will be _married._ Everything will be just fine. It'll come naturally, I'm sure." Nanao giggled. "You'll probably be too excited to let any awkwardness creep in."

They were interrupted when Kotetsu Kiyone came stumbling out of the nurse's quarters, yawning and not quite awake yet. She was splattered in dried blood everywhere, and there were bags under her eyes. Her shoulders were drooping, and she was carrying her zanpakutou, Masticora, in her sheath over her shoulder. Nanao noticed its unusual size - it was about halfway between a katana and a wakizashi. Kotetsu's sash was sloppily tied, and the high-collared shirt she always wore was wrinkled with the top button open. She was an absolute mess.

"Mushishi-san told me it was a rough night. Are you alright?"

Kiyone waved hello with a groan. "Yeah, Kuchiki Fukutaicho. Sorry to interrupt, Ise Fukutaicho."

Ise was a bit startled to see her. "What happened!?"

"Jushi- er, Ukitake Taicho was feverish all night. He was sleeping, though; Isane-neechan told me not to wake him unless he started coughing blood again. I was up all night, icing him down to keep the fever at bay. He threw up blood this morning when he woke up, so I took him to the infirmary. Unohana Taicho has him in Minazuki right now. Ukitake Taicho told me to sleep here so I could tell Kuchiki Fukutaicho when she got in."

"_Minazuki!?_ He's _that_ ill!?" Nanao asked. She knew from Kyoraku that Ukitake was doing very poorly, but she was not aware that it was this severe.

"Yeah, he's been really bad lately," Rukia answered as Kiyone started making tea. "Kotetsu-san, take the rest of the day off. Go back to sleep, and when you get up, go to the 4th division infirmary and give me a report."

Kiyone gave her a weak salute as she slumped down into a chair. It was clear she was done.

Nanao took Rukia by the arm. "Let's leave her to rest. Come with me to the 8th and I can review the wedding details with you."

***

_Thousands and thousands of years ago_

The carnage was indescribable.

It had been a complete massacre. Body parts were strewn everywhere. Standing ankle-deep in blood, his heart wrenched in a trillion pieces. His precious family, his wife, his children - all, desecrated, maimed, mutilated, devoured. Fiery tears burned his eyes as he picked up the only remains that still retained the resemblance of a human body. The monsters had been cruel; cruel beyond imagination.

Sobbing hysterically, he wrapped his arms around his lifeless daughter; her impaled breast leaking blood onto his chest through the front and onto his arms and hands out the back. Squeezing her, willing, praying, screaming that he could instill life in her, his soul split open; the heart-crushing pain emblazoned from his head to his toes and quaking his body in a futile wish to bring her back to life. His embrace tightened as his anguish was inconsolable, and her red water of life continued to trickle down his torso, staining his skin and piercing every fabric of his being.

He heard her sweet, faint, tender, loving, voice. The voice of his child, his daughter, one of many daughters, but the only recognizable remnant of them he had left - that voice echoed in his heart, in his mind, in his soul; as though the Great Omniscient Eye of Fate had gazed upon him and saw The Beginning, The End, and decided that only now could he be comforted with one last sound of his daughter's voice:

_"And I said to you - in your blood, live; and I said to you, in your blood - **LIVE!**"_

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_Clever little plug for Ashido there, huh? Anyway, chapter releases may come in a bit slowly for the upcoming weeks as I'm swamped with real-life work. Also, I should note, the last line of this chapter is actually a biblical quote (Ezekiel, 16:6). I stumbled across it, and I thought it would add a nice touch of drama, so I threw it in there. _

_Next chapter: Enough angst; time for the funny! Hurray!_

* * *

_Responses to feedback from Act II_

I got so many reviews and PMs that I've opted to summarize the most common points of discussion here. I wanted to get back to you all individually, but writing the same thing 100+ times would really kill me, and I'm sure you would prefer I spend my time putting the story up.

1. Opinions on Byakuya were totally split. Some of you thought my portrayal was wildly out of character, although most of you thought the circumstances and flow of the story pushed him out of his comfort zone enough to justify the unusual behavior. Many of you thought him drawing his sword was a bit much. Oh well. I don't know what to respond other than to say that I tried my best; now I'll politely request for you to go with it.

2. The next biggest comment was about how some of you couldn't believe Kuukaku would kiss him. Are you _kidding_ me? This is _Kuukaku_ we're talking about. The woman flirts with danger at every opportunity. Who the hell else would be bold enough to even dare going on a blind date with Kuchiki Byakuya? She spent the whole day oozing sexuality at him, playing seductive little mistress, and teasing him in front of everyone - and you're worried about her attempting a _kiss_? After she just forgave him for raising a sword at her!? Hell, if I were her, I couldn't think of a better time to attempt it and not get my head chopped off. How is that hard to imagine????? From Kuukaku's perspective, the only way she could see Byakuya pairing up with _anybody_ is if someone foisted herself upon him. Anything short of that isn't going to get her anywhere, so she goes for it. So I think Kuukaku trying to get away with a kiss is perfectly expected, and the fact that Byakuya is polite enough not to pull away (while indicating his lack of receptiveness nonetheless) is understandable given the circumstances.

3. I was surprised by how many _"meh, following this story is better than being forced to watch Barney the dinosaur"_ reviews I got. I guess I wonder why you decided to read 25 chapters just to tell me that you're only marginally interested. Color me confused. I always appreciate constructive criticism - some of you had some very thoughtful, helpful critiques - but others were... not so helpful. No joke, I got one PM that said: "it wasnt awful but when are rukia and ichigo getting married just hurry up and get there already". Um, yeah.

4. Apparently, no one bothers to read opening lines. Oh well. _I_ like them.

A final note - an interesting observation on my part: There are some pretty cheeky reviewers out there.... _*cough*_ TtB _*cough*_....

Thanks for reading! Crossover cups return next chapter. Yeah, I know you love 'em and just refuse to admit it. ;D


	27. Legs Just Get In The Way

**Disclaimer: ** I do not own Bleach.

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Ichigo was in the clinic. It was 4:03am, and he was grateful that his usual shift for his summer job had been quiet this morning. It had been two weeks since Rukia had come to visit, and although school would start in a week, he was eagerly waiting for the next few weeks to pass.

At around 6am, he was surprised to have an unusual guest. "Shinji? What are you doing here?"

"Eh, I was up early, buddy. Went out for a jog and figured I'd stop by, see what's cookin'."

"Nothing much. How are things with you guys?"

"Awesome, pal. You gotta swing by and check out our digs. It's been too long."

Ichigo sighed. Shinji always grated him the wrong way, but he might as well. "Sure, why not?" I got nothing better to do, anyway. "But I would imagine it's a bit early for most of you. I can't imagine Love is awake at this hour."

"Naw, man, you gotta come over later this evening. Maybe swing by for some chow 'round seven?"

Ichigo had an uneasy feeling. Does he always talk like this? "You don't have any kind of crazy fights planned, do you?"

"What do you think I am, a punk? I bought a new guitar. I thought maybe you'd swing by and jam a bit, not hack each other's appendages off. You declinin' my offer, or are you coming?"

"Sure, sure, see you at seven," he shrugged. Hirako annoyed him just as much as the first time he met him.

***

Kuchiki Byakuya arrived at his office early that morning, and to his satisfaction, he found his acting vice captain already there, standing outside the door. At his approach, Banzo Ichihime stood at attention. He wondered why she was displaying so much formality now that she was effectively his lieutenant, but was thankful that Ichihime wasn't quite as rough around the edges as Renji had been when he first became vice captain. From what he had heard, the Lady of the Banzo house had a reputation for being an uncouth, unrefined and edgy hooligan. If that was the case, he had never seen it. Ichihime took her duties and responsibilities extremely seriously - much more than Renji ever had, and he had ended up being a good lieutenant - and was always formal with him. Although he had yet to see her on a major offensive front, and wasn't quite yet sure how the rest of the division had settled into her yet, Byakuya was pleased that he let Rukia make the decision. From what he had seen so far, Rukia had chosen well.

"Good morning, Taicho-sama!" she greeted him in full-scale military style.

"Good morning, Banzo-kun. Is there a particular reason you are waiting outside?"

"Yes, sir. I thought it fair to warn you that Grand Lady Shiba Kuukaku-dono is waiting inside for you."

Byakuya scowled inside, but kept it to himself. She was the last person he wanted to see right now, but it would look bad to display his displeasure. He did have to plan a wedding with the woman, and it was inevitable he would have to meet with her. It would be unwise for his acting lieutenant to know of his discomfort from the other Head of House. "If I remember correctly, she did not schedule an appointment."

"As far as I am aware, sir. Fukutaicho-senpai did not inform me of any schedule changes." Even though Ichihime was now informally an equal, she was fiercely loyal to Lieutenant Glasses. Nanao was not a stickler for formality, but as a general rule Ichihime was respectful to her superiors in public. When it came to Ise Nanao, though, Ichihime felt obligated to differentiate Nanao's superiority, even though she now informally held the same rank. Lieutenant Glasses had pushed for her candidacy, and Ichihime felt indebted to her. As a result, Ichihime chose to use 'Fukutaicho-senpai' in formal settings to indicate her respect of the 8th division vice captain. To Ichihime's disapproval, she had noticed that Nanao was among the least influential members of the elite, so she used this overly honorous title in order to try and win support for her senpai.

"I see." Byakuya took a moment to reflect on Ise Nanao. He had been remarkably impressed with how she was handling things. Whenever he met with her, she had every answer to every plausible concern or question that he could come up with, with contingency plans for everything. Her budgets were conservative, yet despite the extravagance required for an affair of this magnitude, Nanao had managed to reduce the expenses to something much leaner than Byakuya would have expected. Despite the enormous responsibilities she had accepted upon herself, she seemed to manage it with ease; as though she had run hundreds of events involving thousands of people before.

So if Ise didn't inform his office of a schedule change, it wasn't because of negligence. Byakuya didn't put it past Kuukaku to just barge into his office unannounced. "Very well," he answered. "Thank you for the warning. Please meet with the seated officers and review the reports from last evening's shift watch."

"Yes, sir!" she replied, and as was polite, waited for him to enter the office before departing.

Byakuya breathed deeply before opening the shouji screens to his office. To his chagrin, the devilish woman was sitting in his chair at his desk, with her feet propped up on it. There was no mistake that her overt, slinky pose was intended to irk him.

"Good morning, Byakuya-san," she said, sly voice grating his ears as she stood up and got out of his seat.

"To what do I owe the pleasure?" he deadpanned; his flat, sardonic tone indicating his true feelings.

"My, my; Byakuya-san, so hostile today? You must have missed your morning tea," she teased. "Here, I made some for you."

He took the cup of tea from her warily. Although he found it impertinent of her to force it upon him (her standard motus operandi for everything she did relative to him), it would have been rude not to accept it.

"Go on," she teased. "I didn't poison it, I promise."

He gave her a Kuchiki-Doom-Stare. She laughed and patted his shoulder. "Oh, Byakuya-san, you look adorable when you're annoyed."

Byakuya visibly sneered at her.

"Calm down, Byakuya-san," she said personably, unfazed. "You know you like the company."

"I find it bewildering that you could presume to think such," he replied flatly.

She sighed, dropping her cheery disposition for a moment. "I wish you would just admit it," she said half to herself, a touch of bother mixed into her voice.

Byakuya ignored her overly personal statement. He was not in the mood. "If you are here to discuss the financial responsibilities for the wedding, I suggest you schedule an appointment through Ise Fukutaicho or Banzo-kun. That way I can assure you that it will fit into my schedule."

"I'm not here for that," she retorted, a thin layer of stern firmness pushing through her otherwise emotionless voice.

He was silent. He had no desire to revisit whatever it was she was about to bring up.

"Play nice," Kuukaku said, using a saccharine, cutesy tone that was sure to harass him. "I made you tea. The least you could do is drink it."

Out of obligation to mind his manners - but with great irritation - he took a sip. Hmm.... It wasn't bad, actually. He wondered if she knew that he liked it this particular way, or if she just got lucky while preparing it. Byakuya then wondered if it would be improper to ask Abarai-kun if Kuukaku came looking for him to inquire about his culinary tastes. It was certainly the kind of thing she would do.

"If you did not come to discuss the wedding, then what brings you here?"

"What, Byakuya-san, you're not going to thank me for the tea?" she asked coyly.

He was getting angry. "Yes, thank you for the tea, Shiba Kuukaku. Now what is your business here?"

"Don't be so touchy," she teased. "It's not befitting of you."

Byakuya wasn't tolerating banter anymore. He stared coldly at her in silence, hoping she would get the message.

Kuukaku took the hint and poured a cup of tea for herself, disappointed but dropping the act for now. "I hear that you've been avoiding your sister."

He said nothing, but his scowl darkened. That this woman got into his personal business agitated him to no end.

"I'm serious, Byakuya-san. You made me a promise. You may hate me, but I'm not going to let you off the hook. It's been two weeks, and from what I know, you haven't said one word to her since then."

Byakuya felt awkward. One, Kuukaku was right; he made a promise that he had to keep. Two, he did not hate her; so it was wrong for him to leave the matter undisputed. Regardless, he was at a loss for words to express this in a dignified way that would not imply the wrong things.

Kuukaku interpreted his silence as acceptance - for Rukia's good, and for her own disappointment. She was beginning to feel sorry she came this morning. Maybe she should have just left him alone. "Well, then, Kuchiki Taicho, I'll be going," she concluded, not bothering to hide her letdown as she downed her tea in one gulp.

The simple change in title really bothered him. He had failed to find the words he needed, and now he had left her with the impression that he did indeed hate her. Besides the fact that leaving such an impression would make him appear to be a petty ingrate, it would complicate everything related to the wedding plans if she thought they were at odds. That being said, from a personal standpoint, it did not sit well with him to have her misinterpret his superficial aggravation for something deeper. "Byakuya-san," he corrected, knowing she would understand the subtext.

Kuukaku's smile returned as she made her way out. "See you soon, then?" she asked eagerly.

Byakuya sighed. She was incorrigible. "Please make an appointment next time," he said, but his voice lacked the conviction to make it sound sincere. As much as he wanted to be bitter with her, she had been extraordinarily forgiving with him two weeks ago. Byakuya already felt that he could not repay her enough for the genuine respect she had shown him, so as much as he wanted to be harsh with her, he couldn't find it in himself to stay angry at her for long.

She chuckled as she closed the door to his office. Byakuya looked down at his tea, and for a brief moment, surveyed the empty office as he dwelled upon that evening; the one he had quickly buried in the back of his mind. It was still early in the morning, so it was quiet. Normally, Byakuya loved this time of day; when he could be efficient and productive.

But now, the absence of all other sound made the still silence feel like a cage.

***

Ichigo was glad he had the invitation out. Yuzu had rented Chappy in Wonderland - _again_ - and both he and Karin found excuses to go somewhere else.

He walked up to the abandoned warehouse building and knocked. It looked empty, but he knew better.

"C'mon, guys, you there?" he muttered. He was just about to look at his watch when Shinji's hand yanked him inside. "Wuh!? Slow down--"

The entire place had been decked out for a party. Chad's band was in the corner, cranking out some quiet rock music. Chad nodded at him but was otherwise preoccupied with his bass guitar.

Keigo and Mizuiro were hanging out with Love by a table with the sodas. Hachi and Rose were shmoozing in the corner. Ishida (who was being his usual stiff, antisocial self) was sitting at a table with Renji. Hisagi, Kira, Ikkaku, and Yumichika were laughing about something or other with Kensei. And when they all saw him, they charged at Ichigo like a pack of rabid dogs.

"What the hell-- _Oomph!_"

Ichigo was completely overtaken. Hisagi was holding him tight in a full-nelson, and Ikkaku was ripping his pants off. Hisagi forced him into a heavy metal chair that was bolted to the floor, and Yumichika began to bind his ankles to the chair with leather belts. Love yanked his shirt off, and Kensei bound his arms with huge, heavy industrial chains. "What the bloody----!"

"Sorry, Ichigo," Renji answered with a sinister smirk, and pulled out a large ace bandage. Renji wrapped it around Ichigo's mouth several times until he was satisfied he couldn't open it. Keigo was tying him to the chair by the waist so that he couldn't even try to buck around.

"Mmmn-mm-nmm-mmn-nn!" he yelled, but it was no use. He was completely stuck, in nothing but his boxers. _Renji, I swear, when I get outta this, I am **so **gonna beat your ass._

Sarugaki Hiyori rolled out in her wheelchair. Her face was made up in deliberately overdone makeup; with ultra-blue eyeshadow, neon-pink blush and super-bright red lipstick. Her two ponytails were tied up with clips that looked like skull-and-crossbones, and she was wearing a black t-shirt with big, white letters that said _'Legs just get in the way'_. Hiyori's shirt was so skin-tight that Ichigo could tell she wasn't wearing a bra, and the sight most definitely scarred him for life. _She had piercings._ It was beyond disturbing.

"Hey hey, Strawberry. Welcome to your bachelor's party," she teased. Amidst a chorus of catcalls, she took the opportunity to plant a big, sloppy, wet kiss on his face. A giant red imprint of her lipstick was stuck on his cheek. _Gross._

"Nnmnn-mnnm-nm!"

"What's that you ask? Why are you tied up, you say?"

"Mmm-hmm."

"For the same reason that we have so much ice water here----" she teased, dumping a frozen-cold glass of water onto his lap.

_"MMNDDMFH!"_

"---so that your dear, innocent doe of a fiance can't blame you for _anything,_" she cackled, pinching his cheek nice and hard. "Oops, almost forgot something!" She then tore two strips of duck tape, and to Ichigo's horror, she taped his eyes open. Ikkaku was laughing so hard he was actually struggling to remain standing. "Alright, girls, let's get the party started!"

The pit in Ichigo's stomach felt like a black hole. Mashiro and Lisa came out, flaunting themselves in what could be modestly described as lingerie. A more accurate description, though, would have been hooker garb. Chad's band switched from rock music to stripper jazz as the crowd erupted into laughter and whistles. Ishida pulled out a camera and started waving it in the air, and Ichigo could tell the flash was going to be firing repeatedly for a while.

Lisa licked her finger and caressed Ichigo's ear. "Ready, lover-boy?" she breathed heavily, and then kneeled down on the floor in front of him. She mockingly adjusted her glasses as she licked his knee with the subtlety of a hammer to the crotch. _Oh. Dear. God._

He tried to turn his head away to the left, but Mashiro lifted her leg and rested it on his shoulder. The view was most definitely personal. "Don't worry, Ichigo-kun. You belong to Kuchiki-chan now, so we won't take what's hers," she teased. She then mushed a very packed set of cleavage up around his nose and ruffled his hair. "But you gotta _squeeze_ in all of life's experiences before you get _tied down_, eh, Strawberry?"

Ichigo gave an audible gulp. If Rukia ever found out about this - oh dear god he didn't even want to finish that sentence.

* * *

_Okay, guys, lay on the reviews. Lots here to talk about - first follow-up between Byakuya/Kuukaku, Ichigo's bachelor party, Shinji (who I have no idea how to write for in English) - fill me in.  
Next chapter (which is quite long, for some odd reason): We finally meet Banzo Tanabi. _

_

* * *

_

~~Crossover Cup!~~

Today's special guest: _Blair_, from Soul Eater!

_Blair: _That party sounds like so much fun! I should have brought Scythe Boy!

_Nathan: _Yeah, I'm pretty sure just about everybody who follows shonen manga would have liked to be there.

_Blair: _Hey, do you think Yoruichi would retire from Bleach and let me take her spot?

_Nathan: _I don't know. That's an interesting question. I doubt it, though.

_Blair: _I wonder if Ichigo would get nosebleeds like Scythe Boy does....

_Nathan: _You know, that whole nosebleed thing is really bizarre.

_Blair: _I could give you a nosebleed....

_Nathan: _Sorry, Blair. I'm happily married. Go bother someone else.

_Blair: _I know! I'll go after Byakuya!

_Nathan: _I think he's got enough on his plate with Kuukaku for the moment. Go after Ganju or Omaeda.

_Blair: _Why them?

_Nathan:_ They're the only ones who have no conceivable chance of finding a date in the Bleach universe.

_Blair: _Then why would I go for them!?

_Nathan: _They'll give you fish.

_Blair: _I'll consider it.

_Nathan (to himself): _Dumb cat....


	28. Losing Victory and Winning Defeat

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Bleach.

_Reviews to the bachelor party were so stereotypical it was funny: the guys thought it was the funniest thing they have ever read, and the girls all went 'oh no! poor ichigo! he's scarred for life now!'._

_Hilarious._

_And yes, there will be a bridal shower - I've already revealed that (Ch19)._

_Reminder that the Kido Corps are not technically part of the Gotei 13. And if you aren't familiar with Rukia's bankai in my trilogy by now, for heaven's sake, go read "Save This For Kuchiki" first. -njx_

* * *

"Excuse me, Tanabi-sama. The 8th division lieutenant, Ise Nanao, is here to see you."

"I know who she is, Mikoro," he snapped.

"My most humble apologies, sire."

The Head of the Banzo House flicked his hand dismissively at him. "Send her in."

Nanao, who had been waiting just outside the door, suppressed her reiatsu before walking in. "Banzo-sama, thank you for your time." _Please keep me from punching this bastard_, she begged her zanpakutou.

_C'mon, stab him!_

You're not helping.

He was still wearing his blue cloak, the traditional garb for the head of the Kido Corps, but he had changed into his white noble's robes underneath, which were embroidered with the Banzo family crest. Banzo Tanabi was an extraordinarily handsome man, with a light complexion and perfect skin. His chiseled face could have been found on the cover of real-world magazines, and his long platinum hair was gathered into a long braid behind his back. His air was regal, but to her it had always come off as slimy.

"Come to finally consider leaving your post as librarian? Perhaps to learn from those who truly know something, I take it? Or," his tone dropping to something blase, "more mundane matters which do not concern me?"

"I will again thank you for your offer, yet politefully decline. My duties in the Gotei 13 are satisfying and fulfilling," she lied, "and I have no desire to leave at this time." At least that part was true.

Tanabi resumed eating, ignoring her presence for a few moments. It was his way of intimidating her; as though she was not worth his time nor his honor enough to even invite her to sit and join her. After a few minutes, he spoke to her again. "So then you have come to waste my time with more of your inane 'bahido' theory, I suppose."

"I have come for an entirely different purpose, Banzo-sama. I wish to bequeath the Four Posts, and I need your approval. I have already obtained the blessing of the other three houses."

"I deduce from your words that you do not want my blessings, only my approval?" he accused flatly.

"Pardon me, Banzo-sama, nothing more than a figure of speech."

He glared at her with complete disdain. "Yes, I'm sure." He went back to ignoring her so he could eat a bit more.

"Banzo-sama, I--"

"Do not speak to me when I am not looking at you," he reprimanded her coldly. "You are an orphan in the presence of a prince. You died in some hovel in putrid Earth and came here as but a mere child, Ise Fukutaicho." The last word was spit out with disgust. "You have no mother or father here in Soul Society; you are amongst the lowest class in all of Sereitei. You will speak when spoken to, and not one word more."

She was silent. _Two seconds ago he wanted me to join his corps, now he's treating me like I'm not worth his time._ Nanao would have loved to kill Tanabi right then and there, but she wouldn't get what she wanted if she did that.

He finished consuming whatever he had been sampling at the moment when he made a gesture to the waiting Mikoro before continuing to speak to her. "Allow me to clarify your place in society, Orphan," he spoke nonchalantly. A geisha came in from an entrance behind him. "_This _is the only thing that orphans are good for," he indicated, and to Nanao's extreme revulsion, the young concubine began to pleasure Tanabi as he went back to eating his meal.

Nanao choked back her deep disgust as the event played itself out. There was no way she was going to sacrifice her friend's honor to this bastard, so she clamped her eyes shut and imagined herself reading her favorite book on the differential equations behind reiatsu wave formations. She cringed as she heard the end of the affair, and finally she could hear the patter of the woman's feet departing and the crass sounds of Tanabi adjusting his tunic. It was only after she heard the clink of a glass on the table that she dared to open her eyes again.

"Now then," he began, voice returning to his usual contemptuous-but-not-overtly-angry demeanor, "back to this matter of dreadful unimportance. How could you believe, Orphan, that you could bequeath the Four Posts?"

Nanao contained her growing rage. _I didn't come here for my own sake_, she lied to herself in order to steel her resolve. Ise Nanao swallowed her pride - and there was a lot of it to swallow - and ignored his barbs. "Banzo-dono, I am sure that if you were to suggest someone you deemed worthy, we would all be more than willing to consider it." _In a trillion friggin' years, maybe._

"I am most sure that Ichihime would be suitable."

"She deferred to me out of respect, Banzo-dono. Ichihime-dono refused to take the honor, noting that it would inappropriate for her to even consider overlooking her superior officer." _And because Ichihime would never even think of accepting it, considering how she isn't even part of the wedding party._

He looked at her with disgust. "Your rank does not make you superior in any way, Ise Nanao," he spat bitterly. He resumed eating, forcing her to wait for several minutes. "Well then I'm positive my sister-in-law, Shihoin Yoruichi, would accept the honor."

"Shihoin-dono has politely declined. Since it was her House who last had the honor, she does not feel it fair to accept it once again." _And because Yoruichi-dono has a sense of decency,_ Nanao wanted to add.

"Certainly my uncle, that beloved captain of yours, would love the honor."

_What!?_ Nanao's mind raced. Kyoraku Taicho is Tanabi's _uncle?_ What in the name of Hell!? How did I not know this?

"Kyoraku Shunsui is the closest person I have to a father," she answered, thinking quickly, "and I am the closest person _he_ has to a daughter. He would never accept it knowing that I had sought it out myself." Nanao was always loathe to admit this, but she was already swallowing her pride anyway.

"Kuchiki Byakuya," he said angrily.

Nanao could see that she was winning. "Kuchiki Taicho adamantly refused, citing that he needs no honor above that which he already has." It was a lie - Rukia's brother had actually given her the honor in return for taking responsibility for all the wedding plans. She only lied to Tanabi because it was a good way to stick it to him.

Banzo Tanabi stood up from his seat and nonchalantly walked over to her. He was intimidatingly tall - 6'2" - and began to invade her personal space. She strained her neck to look him in the eye, and refused to flinch when he removed her glasses in order to polish them.

"I understand these are the famous lenses of the 8th division vice captain," he said innocently as he polished them with a handkerchief, admiring them for a moment. "Rumor has it that your subordinates cower in fear when you take them off."

Nanao met the stare straight-on, wisely choosing not to respond with a _'go screw yourself with a pickaxe'_.

"I can tell by their quality that these glasses must have been very expensive. Custom-made lenses, I see. They don't usually come this thick."

She stood her ground as he then crushed the centimeter-thick spectacles with his bare hands, pulverizing the shards of glass like they were no sharper than clumped sugar.

"Oops," he said, letting the twisted frames fall to the ground, and then grinding them into the floor with his foot.

Nanao could barely see a thing, but she held firm and didn't back down. "I have come for the right to bequeath the Four Posts," she said, her voice firm and strong.

With slow, deliberate contempt, he hocked his throat and then spit in Nanao's eye.

But she didn't flinch. Ise Nanao was a vice captain of the Gotei 13, and there was no way she was going to let him intimidate her.

_C'mon,_ her zanpakutou was yelling at her. _Do it. Kill him. Cut out his windpipe and crush it between your teeth just to spite him. Cut open his gut and rip out his intestines. Spill his blood everywhere. He deserves it, c'mon! DO IT! KILL HIM! MAIM AND SLAUGHTER HIM!_

But Nanao was not a weak-hearted woman. Despite the teenager in her blade going berserk and the detached, ephemeral gothic soprano singing in her own head, she stood her ground. As the mucus-infested globule trickled down the side of her face, Nanao's stony gaze didn't budge, nor did she even blink. She was not going to let Tanabi win, her own human dignity be damned.

So Tanabi slapped her in the face with the force of a freight train. Nanao's face stung and she wondered if she still had all her teeth, but she didn't give in. Physical assault gave her every right in the world to fire a point-blank Hado #66 right into his family jewels, but _damnit_, she _needed_ those Four Posts. Her ambitions controlled her temper. Besides, if Tanabi took this any further, all Nanao had to do was let Kyoraku Taicho see her. Tanabi would end up in a ditch. _"I have come for the right to bequeath the Four Posts,"_ she repeated, indicating that even if it took all day, she was going to get her way.

Tanabi sneered at her, but didn't say anything to accompany the gesture. Nanao's iron resolve didn't fail her, and she continued to give the man a stare that said _go ahead and try, but I won't give up._

"Mikoro," Tanabi finally said, "this orphan is not worth any more of my breath. Tell the other Houses that she can bequeath toothpicks for all I care, the matter is of no concern to me."

Nanao turned her back on him and left. She got what she came for. Nanao didn't even pause to wipe her eye. There was no way she was going to give him the satisfaction.

***

After stumbling back to her room in the barracks like a blind bat (although using reiatsu signatures instead of echolocation to navigate through the throngs of people), Nanao had finally managed to get her vision back by finding her spare pair of glasses. She didn't carry them on her person, since the pair Tanabi demolished were supposed to be indestructable; but she wouldn't make that mistake again. The cheap bifocals weren't very flattering, and a new pair was going to cost her way more than she had allocated to her monthly expenses, but she didn't care. She beat that bastard.

The first thing she did after being restored to the world of the seeing was pack ice on her face. After she was satisfied the swelling had gone down, she used kido to heal the rest of the bruise away. She could have used kido to stop the swelling, but the cold ice felt refreshing, so she didn't mind.

She inspected herself in the mirror, insuring that her perceptive captain wouldn't find any sign of injury. Satisfied with her handiwork, she set out to find Kyoraku. As she had expected, he was sleeping underneath the cherry tree outside the 8th division captain's compound.

Aggravated as hell, Nanao pulled out her fan and gave him a good hard whack on that stupid hat of his; and he startled into sitting upright. She knew he wasn't really sleeping anyway. He had known it was her, because if it had been anyone else smacking him upside the head, they would have had their fist crushed in the palm of his hand. Kyoraku only let her knock him upside the head out of affection for her.

"Eh, Nanao-chan, what was that for!?"

"How are you related to Banzo Tanabi!?" she yelled at him. "Why didn't you tell me!?"

Shunsui gave her a puzzled look. "My late sister, Suzuki-neesan, was his mother. Why?"

"Suzuki-neesan...?" Nanao didn't know he had a sister. She knew he had a handful of brothers both younger and older - she had even met a few once or twice - but she didn't know about any sisters.

"She was the oldest of all of us. Suzuki-neesan married Hikifune Hatami, but when he died, she remarried Banzo Jirobu."

It had been a very long time ago, but she plumbed her early childhood memories. "...'Hikifune'? Don't I know that name from somewhere?"

"Hikifune Kirio was the captain of the 12th division before Urahara Kisuke, a bit over a century ago. Hitami-dono was her father."

Nanao sat down beside him, forgiving him. As much as she wanted to be angry with him, Kyoraku Taicho had dozens of relatives amongst nobility. It wasn't like he had a reason to point out that specific relationship.

"How did you discover that little tidbit?" he asked.

"Tanabi mentioned it when I asked about the Four Posts."

"Mmm," he acknowledged. "That's why Banzo-chan came to the 8th, you know."

Nanao was curious. "Really?"

"Yeah. Tanabi-kun wanted me to look after her, seeing that I'm her only relative left in the Gotei 13."

Nanao shrugged. "Makes sense."

"Not really," Shunsui sighed. "I make for a terrible father."

Nanao smiled at his implied apology. "You're a better father than you are a captain; sleeping outside all day and leaving me the paperwork when I have a wedding to plan," she teased.

"Mean," he replied jokingly.

"Just honest," she quipped, adjusting her bifocals that didn't quite feel comfortable yet.

At that moment, Nanao felt it was time to bring up an uncomfortable topic. It was appropriate given his apology. "I'm sorry I'm not more like Lisa-san was."

Shunsui was a bit puzzled - and worried - by that statement. "I'm not exactly sure how I'm supposed to interpret that."

Nanao sighed. "I'm not much of a vice captain," she explained. "And I'm sure you would prefer that I felt differently about your advances."

If there were any two topics Kyoraku tried to avoid at all costs, it was these. Either of these topics were explosively dangerous conversations with Nanao, even more than her zanpakutou. _Especially _the latter one.

Nanao was no stranger to having a good time. Shunsui knew this because a spiteful ex-boyfriend of hers accused her of sleeping her way into the seated ranks when Shunsui first promoted Nanao to 20th seat. Of course, Such an accusation was patently ridiculous. Nanao was one of the brightest and most talented shinigami his division had seen in a long while, even if her vindictive temperament clouded her judgement every now and then. Unfortunately, the accusations didn't fall flat, because the 8th division barracks (and military lifestyle in general) were probably not the best place to raise a little girl. As was expected, Nanao had her fair share of escapades just like every other unseated officer did, although it did bother him a bit that she didn't ever have any innocence. Kyoraku should have stepped in to clarify the truth, but Nanao had settled it on her own terms. Exactly what had happened, he didn't know; but he understood it likely involved numerous bakudo and hado spells chained together one after another. Nanao wasn't exactly subtle, especially when she had something to prove.

Still, Shunsui always had an eye for her - he didn't know what it was about bespectacled women, but they worked for him - and once he had promoted her to vice captain, her constant presence was just too tempting. Little had he realized that it would be so damn hard - she was just stuck on the whole papa thing, and it made him feel really old. Kyoraku Shunsui was not the type of man who ever asked for kids, so he tried to convince her to 'push past the papa perspective' - but in the end, Shunsui had pushed a bit too hard.

Shunsui had always anticipated that bedding Nanao would have been fun - but it had been anything but: once things got past the point of no return, she started _crying - and she didn't stop for three whole days_. Shunsui felt really awful for a long while after that, and she had been superficially cold to him and intensely resistant to his advances ever since. He still had hopes it would work out - after all, if she hated him, he would definitely know it - but Shunsui knew that Nanao hadn't quite put the incident behind her yet. Nonetheless, she hadn't gone seeking out any other particular man, so he thought there was a possibility she might reconsider their relationship. He would joke to himself that he could wait indefinitely if he could just get another piece of those amazing legs, although that wasn't the real reason he waited. Shunsui did care for her quite a bit - over a century of looking after someone will do that to you.

Unfortunately, at the moment, Nanao had put him on the spot. He decided to skirt around both issues as best as he could, hoping that she wouldn't force him to talk about either one seriously. "Well, you're more of the captain of this division that I am, seeing as how you run everything. As for my charms, I'm sure Fate will make sure we're the last two people on earth or something," he teased.

She whacked him with her fan again. "You're terrible," she chided, but relieved that he didn't take the conversation any more seriously than that.

He laughed (secretly relieved that he had survived a narrow brush with death), and the two of them sat quietly for a while. Kyoraku could tell that she was contemplating something or another. "You alright, Nanao-chan?" He knew better than to verbally point out that she wasn't wearing her usual pair of glasses.

She leaned her head back and allowed the cherry blossoms to fall down on her face. Today had been a whirlwind, and it wasn't even over yet. But Nanao decided that for once, she would just be a good daughter and tell the truth. "Actually, I'm feeling great." Victory is _everything._

***

_"Saigo no mai, Nisshoku Shiro - Bankai!"_ Rukia jumped into the air and started flapping her wings, gaining altitude so she could fight Komamura-sensei's giant Tenken. She had to be careful, since she knew that the strength of his bankai was tied to his own life force. Breaking a limb was one thing, decomposing it into spirit particles was another. This whole zotokai tier of power was taking a lot of time to get used to.

She evaded a massive swipe, firing past as a white blur that split into a rainbow behind her. Rukia was still trying to figure out how to control her reiatsu enough to stop that from happening. It made her too easy of a target.

She rained _Hado #66: Twin Lotus of Blue Fire Crashing Down_ over the massive samurai. As good as Rukia's kido was, she was still trying to master the upper kido spells. Although she had total control over all of the bakudo spells up to _#81: Severing Void,_ she couldn't do any of the level 90 ones without an incantation, and _#99_ was still way beyond her reach. Her hado spells were strong, but unlike Nanao or Hinamori, she still needed the incantation for level 80 spells, and she could never pull off any of the level 90 ones. She was still having trouble with chaining most level 60 and 70 hado spells past three or four iterations, which is why she practiced it with Komamura-sensei. Through practice, she had become really good at the _#66 Soren Sokatsui_ (a signature spell of hers), so she was using it now. It was one of the few level 60 spells she could chain indefinitely, if only because it was an amplified version of the _#33_ she had mastered even before she became a vice captain.

Komamura's reiatsu could only prevent Rukia's bankai gravity from affecting him and his own bankai. Unfortunately, due to Tenken's size, he needed an extraordinary amount of reiatsu to function this way. He had none leftover to stop her sword from swinging down on him with the gravitational force of a fifty-ton asteroid.

Immediately, he sealed his zanpakuto, pulling back all of his reiatsu in order to keep her from breaking every bone in his body. He was lucky; the strike only knocked him back ten meters.

She landed on her feet. "Sensei-dono! Are you okay?"

Komamura got to his feet with a booming laugh. "Hai, Rukia-dono, I'm fine."

She sheathed her zanpakutou, releasing her bankai in the process. Her wings wisped away into smoke as the rich black color of her shihakusho returned. "I'm sorry."

He laughed again. It was a unique laugh, deep and rich, and Rukia always enjoyed hearing it. He was normally a serious, formal man who always seemed hesitant and preoccupied. Rukia could tell that it was rare when he felt so carefree. "No need to apologize, Rukia-dono. The greatest achievement I have ever made is to see my student surpass her teacher."

She bowed her head quickly. "Komamura-sensei, I-"

"No need to be so humble, Rukia-dono. I have taught you everything I know. Your strength is vast and your sword is sharp. You can learn no more from me, and I can assure you, I have received no greater gift than to know my teachings are the foundation of your skill."

"But Sensei, surely-"

He interrupted her with a hand on her shoulder. "I am wise enough to know the limits of my own abilities. Thus I have taught you the final lesson: never stop searching your own soul until you know your own limits. For you, that wisdom may be unattainable for many years to come. You are capable of nearly anything, if only because you seek truth with passion and purity in your heart."

She bowed her head with deliberation. "_Arigato gozai mashita,_ Sensei-dono. It has been the highest honor to learn from you."

"Now, onto more pressing matters," Komamura began, his tone lightening. "I was hoping we could meet again next week. Seeing as how I've taught you zanjutsu, I was hoping you could teach me how to dance."

Rukia chuckled. "Ah, the mystery woman," she teased. "It would be my pleasure, Sensei-dono."

***

Rukia had gotten out of the shower and dressed quickly, worried that she was going to miss her date with Hinamori. She had promised to meet her for lunch. Although Hinamori tended to run a few minutes late, she suspected that Momo-chan had baited her into a bridal shower. She hadn't had one yet, and it was only two weeks until the wedding. If that's what it was, there would be a lot of people waiting for her.

Tori was waiting for her outside her room. "Excuse me, Rukia-sama. Byakuya-sama has requested that you meet him in his private quarters immediately."

Private quarters? This is bad.... but weird.

_You knew he was going to be upset._

I know, but after the silent treatment for two weeks, an invitation _there_ is just... disquieting.

Sode no Shirayuki was pensive for a minute. _I agree that it seems a bit unusual._

I wish Ichigo were here. It's times like these I could use his support.

Her zanpakutou laughed. _Look at you, Rukia-sama. I've never seen you so casual with your independence._

Rukia snorted. _Hey, I rely on you, don't I?_

Sode no Shirayuki went back to being serious. _Well, this time I understand. I don't think I'll be of much help._

Rukia exhaled. She wasn't looking forward to the cold stares she knew she was going to get.

***

_Five weeks ago, shortly after Ichigo's proposal to Rukia_

Hikifune Kirio was wandering down the main halls of the palace. Shunsui-ojisama had just given her the news about the pending Four Houses wedding. He is such a helpful man, she thanked silently.

Kirio was trying to find Banzo-dono. Where is that goof? she wondered. The Royal Guard rarely had such exciting turns of events, and he was the only one she was having trouble finding. Knowing him, he could be dancing in the shower, or planting eucalyptus trees in the hills, or practicing the tuba in the basement; god only knows. But she had to assemble the Guard and deliver the message, and without him, the rest of her division would have to wait for him to get his act together.

She had to hurry up and find him. Kirio was positive the King would want to know about the wedding right away.

* * *

_Next chapter: Rukia vs. Byakuya, round 2._

_

* * *

_

~~Crossover Cup!~~

Today's special guest: _Maka Albarn,_ from Soul Eater!

_Nathan: _Welcome! Today we have everybody's favorite badass moe, Maka-chan!

_Maka: _Thanks for having me, Nathan!

_Nathan: _So tell me, have you been enjoying the story so far?

_Maka: _Absolutely! It's been a blast. Although this Tanabi fellow really irks me.

_Nathan: _Too bad this isn't a crossover, I would really love to see you mess him up with a Witch Hunt/Hexagonal Hunting.

_Maka:_ I think a Demon Hunt would be better, no?

_Nathan:_ I think it would kill him too quickly. We would want him to feel it.

_Maka: _It's pretty funny to hear an author talk about his villain like this.

_Nathan: _Why's that?

_Maka:_ Well, good authors try to not to make their villains appear _too_ evil.

_Nathan: _Well, Medusa is pretty crazy-nuts-over-the-top evil.

_Maka: _Well, even she tried _pretending_ to be a good guy in the beginning.

_Nathan: _Er, well, maybe Tanabi is just _pretending _to be a bad guy.

_Maka: _Oh, Nathan, you're just _bad._

_Nathan:_ I am, aren't I?

_Maka (teasing): _Maybe I should use Witch Hunt on _you._

_Nathan (going along with it): _Heh, anything to see you kick some ass.

_Maka (laughing): _Invite me again, Nathan, this is fun.

_Nathan: _I think you're the first one to ever ask about being invited back.

_Maka (joking): _Next time, I'll even bring you that Witch Hunt you asked for.

_Nathan: _Can't wait! See you then! Bring Soul or Crona next time, 'kay?

_Maka:_ Yep!

_Nathan (to himself): _Note to self - find more moes... they're so nice to me....


	29. The Family Treasure of Kuchiki Hisana

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Bleach.

* * *

"Nii-sama... you wanted to see me?"

He was quiet, but Rukia could tell he was ready for her. She was a bit surprised when he sat down at a desk in his room, partially turned away from her. It wasn't the usual way he handled things, but Rukia didn't give it too much more thought than that.

She had never seen it before, but Rukia was not surprised that Nii-sama's room was less ornate than she would have expected. The far wall consisted entirely of cabinets and closet space. On the left side of the room, a large king-size bed was made with purple sheets and white pillows. It as a plum color that Rukia recognized, but she didn't know from where. On each side of the bed, matching nighttables with simple drawers held small lanterns, although they weren't lit at the moment. The wooden floor was made of undecorated bamboo slats that provided a measure of austerity. The wall on the right had a large mirror, with the desk underneath. On the far side of the mirror, there was a door; she presumed it led to his private bathroom. Sunlight filtered through windows above each nighttable. It was a large room; and she felt awkward being there.

Rukia expected to find him livid with her, but he didn't seem angry. In fact, he didn't seem particularly _anything_. Whatever he was feeling, it was locked inside way too deep. Even Rukia, who could read him better than anyone else in the world, had no idea what he was ruminating about; but whatever it was, Byakuya appeared to be lost deep inside his head somewhere.

When he spoke, his voice was eerily blank; almost as if the words came out like they had been strung together by random forces. "I made a promise."

She didn't know what he was talking about, but it was clear that he was troubled. Rukia was mystified as to what he wanted to talk about, and her anxiety was building. Nii-sama's promises were not always _good _things. She hesitated before speaking. "What are you referring to, Nii-sama?"

The thick silence hung in the air for a long time before he continued. "I am the Head of the Kuchiki House," Byakuya said, but his voice was uncharacteristically soft. It lacked the typical firmness and finality it always carried. "I have many responsibilities. Among them, I am obligated to look after my family."

Rukia wasn't sure where he was going with this.

"Rukia-san," he began, his voice uncharacteristically personal, "many years ago, I...." Byakuya paused, his eyes unfocused as he stared past her. Byakuya sighed and closed his eyes tightly, and Rukia could see his normal demeanor return. She didn't know what to make of it, but he was finally able to squeeze out what he had been trying to say.

"Many years ago," he began again, "when Hisana died, I cut out my own heart; never to see it again. I... I could live without happiness if it would allow me to live without sorrow." Byakuya paused to clear his throat. "I needed only two things: pride, and duty. With those two things, I could serve the Kuchiki House and the Gotei 13 with honor. But I learned only recently that without my heart, I... I could not serve my family."

Rukia's mind was spinning in a thousand directions. Trying to understand his intentions, she stepped towards him slowly. "Nii-sama -"

"Let me finish," he requested. Rukia was surprised - this was completely unlike him. He wasn't aloof, or cold, or seething; nor did he look at her with the slow, harsh stare that crushed you with its intensity. Rukia was the only person who knew him well enough to describe it - and to her, it made no sense. Nii-sama could never be like this.

Kuchiki Byakuya never appeared vulnerable to anyone.

Within seconds, his commonplace mask of stoic indifference returned; but Rukia had already seen the pain he had been hiding, and she had no idea what to do. She had never seen him like this. Rukia couldn't believe this was possible.

She tried again. "...Nii-sama...?"

He was silent.

"Nii-sama...?"

There was quiet for a _long_ time. It may have been twenty minutes, Rukia was too disconcerted to even think about it. Finally, Byakuya stood up from the desk and faced her. His face was unreadable - even for her - but his eyes.......

His eyes were wet.

"I... I-- I am incapable of explaining myself," he admitted, his face indicating that he felt utterly pathetic.

Rukia's heart clenched at how pitiful he sounded. It was as if any pride he ever had was torn from him, leaving him like a destitute child with no one left to even hear him cry. "...It's okay, Nii-sama; really, it's ---"

"I am sorry, Im--- _Imoto_-san."

The words struck her.

An _apology_...?

Rukia forced back her discomfort and slowly advanced to him, each step cautious but brave, her feet marching their way until she was in front of him. Slowly, for fear of his response, she gently reached her hands up around his waist, and carefully pulled him into an embrace. Rukia could feel his arms finally settle around her shoulders, and for the first time, the brother and sister of the Kuchiki House shared a hug. Like family.

"Nii-sama," she whispered. His tears were falling onto her hair. For some reason, Rukia couldn't cry - she could only smile. Nii-sama needed her comfort, and she was the only one who could provide it. Rukia needed to be strong for him.

After a moment, he gently pulled away, and sat down on his bed. His eyes were raw with a deep, deep sadness, but he seemed to have found his ability to speak again. "I always see Hisana in your face. I sealed away my grief, and I feared that your presence would tear it open again. I closed my soul, and you have suffered. Hisana would never forgive me for what I have done to you. I have failed in my responsibilities and my duties, and I have utterly failed to fulfill my promise to her. I have not been the brother you needed me to be."

Rukia sat down next to him, and put a hand on his shoulder. So many things began to make sense now. The words flowed from her mouth naturally and instinctively, and she was pleased with how they came forth with genuine care and devotion. "But Hisana-neesama would remind you that you are still my brother, Nii-sama - and that I will _always _love you, no matter how many missteps you make."

To Rukia's relief, a smile actually came to his face. It was handsome. She could see how Hisana would have fallen in love with it.

They sat quietly for a few moments as Byakuya collected himself. When he stood up slowly, Rukia followed suit. "Please pardon me, Imoto-san; I did not invite you here to listen to my ramblings."

Rukia's heart twinkled. Is he actually going to start calling me '_Sister_'? I never thought this day would come. I like it, she thought. "What is it, then?"

"A gift," he said, and brought her to the far wall of his room where the closets were. "Here - open it," he said, gesturing to one of the closets.

Rukia opened the closet slowly. Inside was a stunning red kimono that completely took her breath away. It was made of fine woven silk wth intricate floral patterns. Turning it, she could see that the weave of the silk had been crisscrossed into a large Kuchiki crest across the back. Threads of gold were stitched into the fabric, and the edges were lined with fine cashmere and velvet.

"It's--- it's _beautiful,_ Nii-sama!"

His voice was unusually quiet and tender. "It was Hisana's bridal kimono. I would like to humbly ask if you would wear it for your own wedding."

"Of _course!_" It felt precious in her hands, like a treasure that would never be found again. "I couldn't _think_ of wearing anything else!" and without thinking, she hugged him. He was startled, but didn't seem to mind. _"Arigato, Oniichan."_ Rukia had never called him that before, and she was pretty sure she would never use the endearing name again; but it felt appropriate at the moment.

"_Arigato,_ Imoto-san," he whispered. "It will honor Hisana's memory."

Rukia disentangled herself after a moment. Now was the right time to ask. "Nii-sama," she hesitated, "are... are you still mad at me?"

He was quiet for a minute as Rukia saw him formulate his words. "I have now learned from three women the value of being forgiving."

Rukia didn't completely understand that statement, but decided to use it to her advantage. Now was the only time she was ever going to get away with it. "Then please, Nii-sama - forgive _yourself_," Rukia prodded gently.

He sighed and closed his eyes. "I will try," he answered, although it sounded to Rukia like Byakuya believed it was an impossible task.

She hugged him again, worried that there may never be another opportunity for her to do so. They stayed like that for quite some time until Byakuya patted her on the back to get her attention. "I am sure you have somewhere to be," he said in a manner that indicated he clearly knew something she was forgetting.

A wave of awful guilt crashed over her. "Oh _no!_ Momo-chan! I was supposed to meet her for lunch! I'm _soooo_ late!" She didn't want to leave Nii-sama at the moment, but if her suspicions were correct, Momo wouldn't be the only one waiting.

He nodded with a genuine smile. Rukia was sure he didn't want anyone else to see that particular gesture. "Go, Imoto-san."

"Hai," she answered with a warm and endearing grin, and flashed off in shunpo.

***

"Aw, damnit," she swore under her breath. Hinamori wasn't in her office. _"HITAMAKE-SAN?"_ she called out. _"ARE YOU HERE?"_

She heard the toilet flush, and a minute later he came out of the bathroom. "Kuchiki Fukutaicho," he greeted her with a salute. "Hinamori-san went looking for you. She thought you might be with Komamura Taicho."

"Ugh. Thanks," and she flashed off towards the 7th division.

***

"_Iba Fukutaicho!_" she called, spotting him by the 7th division barracks. He was sparring with Madarame Ikkaku, although 'barbaric bar brawl' would have been a more fitting description.

"Huh?" he answered, receiving a whack in the face with Hozukimaru for losing focus.

Rukia interrupted the shouting and swearing between the two testosterone-fueled idiots that followed. "Did Hinamori Fukutaicho come by here?"

"Yeah, she was looking for you," Iba answered. "Last I saw, she thought you may have gone to see Ise Fukutaicho about wedding plans."

_Wonderful. Wild. Goose. Chase._

***

"Momo-chan? Nanao-san? Are you here?"

Kyoraku picked up his head from his desk. "Rukia-chan? Come in," he called.

She opened the door to his office. "Sorry to disturb you, Kyoraku Taicho. Do you know where either of them are?"

"Momo-chan was just here looking for you. Nanao-chan said to check to see if you were still at Kuchiki Manor."

Rukia sighed. "Where's Nanao-san, then?"

"Dunno, I fell asleep."

***

Rukia flashed up to the front gate. Tori was waiting for her. "Rukia-sama! Hinamori Fukutaicho came here looking for you. I told her to wait for you in the dining room, seeing as how it's around lunch time."

"Thanks, Tori-san!" Rukia flashed her way there.

***

The door to the dining room was locked. Huh? "Momo-chan?" she called.

Shiba Kuukaku opened the door. "It's about goddamn time you got here, sweetcheeks," and before Rukia could ask, she tossed her (one-handed, of course) flat onto her back into a large pile of pillows in the middle of the dining room.

The room has been cleaned out and filled with familiar faces. Rukia looked up from the floor to see Momo giggling. "Let me guess. Bridal shower, right?"

Matsumoto's strawberry blonde hair came into view. "Makeover time!"

Oh god, _please_ no.

* * *

_This Bya/Ruki scene was by far the hardest to write in the entire trilogy. After feedback from Act II, that scene underwent nearly seven rewrites until I was okay with it. I'm still a bit unhappy with it. Feedback on that scene in reviews would be very, very helpful; but please, **constructive** criticism. Telling me 'bya wud nvr do dat u doofus' is not helpful. :)_

_

* * *

_

~~Crossover Cup!~~

Today's special guest: _Shinigami-sama,_ from Soul Eater!

_SS: _Hey, hey! How's everybody doing?

_Nathan (surprised): _Lord Death! It's an honor to have you - what brings you to our program?

_SS: _I heard that we were giving Rukia-chan a makeover, yah, yah!

_Nathan:_ Well, we'll get the details next chapter, but can I ask why you're so interested...?

_SS:_ Of course, Nathan-kun! You see, I myself can attest to the transformative power of a makeover!

_Nathan: _...Really?

_SS (puts on old mask): _See?

_Children in audience: _AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!!

_SS (puts on new mask, chuckling nervously): _Sorry, sorry!

_Nathan: _Er, uh... nice to have you Shinigami-sama, but it's time to go - see you next time everybody!


	30. Boobs Just Get In The Way

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Bleach. Barbie is a registered trademark of Mattel, Inc.

_Wow, thanks so much for all of the awesome feedback on last chapter. It was really encouraging and totally made me feel all giddy inside. Thanks so much. _

_Reminder - in "Save This For Kuchiki", Yumichika was promoted to 3rd division captain.  
If you don't get the 'Hinamori-sensei' reference, go read "Save This For Kuchiki".  
____If you don't get the 'Whatshername Nemu' reference, go read "Save Me, Kuchiki".  
__-njx_

* * *

Beyond her love of shopping for clothes and cute fluffy stuffed animals, Rukia was not an overly feminine woman. It was pointless for someone who wielded a sword to worry about their nails, and Rukia never had patience for that sort of thing. On the extremely rare occasions she wore makeup at all, she stuck to modest and demure measures; usually in order to make her otherwise youthful face appear older.

In other words, she was in hell.

A storm of women had descended on Rukia to glitter her up until she felt like the Barbie doll of an over-the-top seven-year old. Captain Unohana helped Isane thread a Jamaican hair wrap, Ichihime bleached her stubborn bangs white, Yoruichi was applying a suntan via kido, and Kiyone painted her nails all different shades of ridiculous neon colors. Yachiru scribbled on her arms and legs with some kind of henna-tattoo pen. Momo was at least gentle when she applied copious amounts of makeup, but Rukia had forgotten that Nanao had a bit of a sadistic streak in her. Rukia was reminded all about it when the bookish vice captain went to work with a pair of tweezers on her eyebrows.

What Matsumoto did before everyone got started, though, had been worse.

Rukia was a petite woman, and although she wasn't flat-chested by any means, she did not have a particularly prominent bust. Unlike Nanao or Isane, though, she was a combat-aligned shinigami; so she typically wrapped her bust fairly tightly, according to the old Japanese style that Tori had taught her. She was so used to it that when in a gigai in the human world, she opted to wear a restrictive sports bra rather than something that would have theoretically been more comfortable. Because of this, Rukia normally appeared to be barely endowed at all; and she actually preferred it that way, considering her strong inclination to be overly modest.

This made it utterly humiliating when Matsumoto lifted off her dress-like shihakusho, found the end of her wrap, and yanked it hard enough to send Rukia spinning like a top. Before she could yell at her, Matsumoto was already rewrapping her bust, although this time with the intent of producing whatever cleavage she could get out of her. Before she could put her personal uniform back on (which was at least high-collared), Matsumoto threw a new one-piece uniform on her with a neckline that ended at her bellybutton and a skirt that barely reached halfway to her knees. The resulting display of Rukia's flesh just about everywhere was horrifying.

But all of that was _nothing_ compared to Kuukaku's obsession with hot wax.

For all of Rukia's disinterest in makeup and the like, she had a _very_ good relationship with a razor. Her dark black hair meant that if she didn't shave often.... well, let's just say it wasn't very ladylike. So she was quite smooth - certainly enough so that those damn way-too-short school uniform skirts were not any more embarassing than they had to be.

Which should tell you about how seriously mortifying it was when Kuukaku finally found a place to put all that hot wax to good use.

_"YOOOOOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!!!!"_

***

"Rukia-chan, time to open the gifts!"

Despite being forced to endure every conceivable feminine torture - including at least sixty pictures in various states of undress that could have been used for any number of devious blackmailing purposes - she had somehow managed to survive. Utterly exhausted, she sat down in a chair that they had pulled inside. _Please god I hope Ichigo never sees those pictures or I will never hear the end of it._

Momo explained for the benefit of everyone. "So, according to the customs of the Four Houses, the kimono is supposed to be supplied by the bride's House - but everything else that she wears has to be supplied by friends of the bride. The custom started because it reminds the bride that she is not only a product of her House, but of all the people who care about her, be they rich or poor."

Yoruichi was the first to hand her a large box. "Kuchiki-san, Soifon was very sorry that she couldn't make it; she was on a mission. This is from us and the entire House of Shihoin." Rukia opened it to reveal a beautiful red obi made of spiderweb silk, with golden threads that were clearly intended to match the kimono she had just inherited.

"_Wow_ - this is _gorgeous_!" It must have cost a fortune, she thought. It was truly an amazing piece of work. The obi had a remarkably heavy fabric, which was a sign of its quality.

"...And this is from Orihime-chan and Tatsuki-chan. Orihime-chan wanted to be here, but we were already pulling favors to get Karin-chan and your friends senkai clearance for the wedding."

She opened a small jewelry case to find dangly garnet earings. They were lovely, and Rukia hoped she would have the occasion to wear them after the wedding. She didn't wear earrings very often, but she liked to when she could because they made her look less youthful. They would be good for date nights in the real world, she thought.

"Thank you so much, Yoruichi-san. Please tell all of them that these gifts are beautiful." Rukia tried to give her a hug, but it felt awkward because for the first time in her life, her boobs got in the way.

Captain Unohana was next, and proffered a small satchel. Rukia opened it to find a red choker with a white stone dangling in the middle. "Given your zanpakutou," Unohana explained, "I thought you would like to have a piece of moonstone jewelry, Kuchiki-san."

"Moonstone...? Y-y-you mean - like from the _actual moon_!? As in, the one in the sky!?"

"Mm-hmm. I'm sure it will look beautiful on you."

"That's amazing - thank you so much, Unohana Taicho!" How Unohana could get something like that for her, Rukia had no idea.

"My pleasure," she smiled, and then leaned over to Rukia and whispered in her ear. "It would be wise for you to set up an appointment soon."

She blushed. "I'll do that this week, Unohana Taicho." Rukia was not looking forward to sex-ed with the 4th division captain, but apparently it was the appropriate thing to do. _Awkward._

Rukia was saved from further awkwardness when the Kotetsu sisters presented a small box. "It's not much, but we hope you like it," Isane offered.

"We picked it out together," Kiyone added.

In the box, Rukia found a burnished red jasper bangle. There were no fancy etchings or anything like that, but the stone itself was clearly well-chosen. It had whitish, pinkish striations that gave it a unique look. "This is pretty cool!"

"I wanted you to have something that you could wear even after the wedding," Kiyone explained. "Thanks... thanks for everything, Fukutaicho."

There were a lot of complex emotions layered into her voice, so Rukia pulled the blond Kotetsu into a hug. Kiyone had done a lot of penance for her mistakes, and had become stronger because of it. The 13th division 3rd seat had become Rukia's most loyal and reliable subordinate, and Rukia was thankful that her division's leadership structure had ultimately cemented into a cohesive unit. "Don't mention it, San-Seki." Kiyone gave her a squeeze, and it made Rukia feel all warm and fuzzy inside knowing that she had touched Kiyone in such a positive way, especially after the bitter start they had over her badge.

Rukia then thanked both of them. "Isane-san, Kiyone-san - thank you for the gift."

Yachiru bounced over with a shoebox. "Congrats, Chibi Fukutaicho! Captain Weirdo picked these out, because the rest of us don't know anything about shoes. Ken-chan says you should come play with him sometime. Bye!"

Before Rukia could say so much as thank you for the pair of cute red flats, Yachiru had hopped over to the refreshments table and was munching on gobs of chocolate that she had shoved in her mouth.

Kuukaku handed her something wrapped in a pink cloth. "This is from me and the entire House of Shiba. Even that crazy older brother of mine, Isshashine," she teased.

Rukia unfolded the cloth to uncover a breath-stealing oval-cut, _two-hundred-carat_ ruby broach in a gold setting. It was undoubtedly the largest and most perfect gem Rukia had seen - hell, she couldn't even _imagine_ a stone that large. It was almost half the the size of her fist! It sparkled in a trillion directions, and Rukia could not even theorize how much it cost - or even more than that, where someone could even get such a thing. Rukia could probably buy three-quarters of the real estate in Sereitei with it. "Kuukaku-dono---!"

"Quite a rock, eh? You like it?"

"I------ I--- I-- I'm speechless," she gasped, unable to take her eyes off it. Rukia could even see her reflection on its surface. It was completely bedazzling.

Kuukaku's cockyness faded into a serious tone. "Good," she answered, pleased. "That's how I know you like it." Kuukaku pulled Rukia into her. "It's incredible how you've changed history without even knowing it," she whispered. Rukia could feel the tears on her scalp, but she really didn't understand what Kuukaku meant. It didn't matter, though - Rukia obviously knew that no one gives you a gift like that unless you're really, really important to them in some way, so she returned the embrace with as much effort as she could. It was difficult, of course, because Kuukaku's boobs were ginormous; and Rukia felt like her own chest was gonna pop out at any moment.

"My turn!" came Matsumoto's bubbly voice, interrupting the moment. "Go on, Rukia-chan, open it!" she whined, shoving the box in front of her.

Rukia was hesitant. Anything that came from Rangiku was probably best viewed discretely.

"No no no no no, you're not going to get away with opening it quietly. C'mon, show everybody, or _I_ will!"

_Ugh. If I don't, whatever Rangiku does is going to be ten times as embarassing._

She opened up the box and gulped, slamming it shut. "Rangiku-san, I can't wear this!"

"But you _have_ to! Otherwise you won't have any undies underneath your kimono! Don't the customs say you can only wear what your friends give you?"

Rukia glared at her with the best Nii-Sama-Doom-Stare she could muster while looking like a ridiculous peacock. "I'm sure that custom doesn't apply to underwear," she leveled flatly.

"Ne, Rukia-chan, open up the box!" Kuukaku called. "C'mon, we've all seen you buck naked today, you've got nothin' to hide!"

"Don't remind me," Rukia grimaced. She was still smarting from Kuukaku's little snowflake design.

Rukia pulled off the box top and embarrassingly pulled out the bra and panty set. They were scarlet red, and on the cup of each bra and the front of the panties was a pair of pink cherries.

Yoruichi and Kuukaku burst out laughing. Momo, Isane and Kiyone went red-faced. Ichihime was trying as hard as she could to hold back her laughter, and failing miserably. Nanao and Unohana were smiling, and Yachiru was basically clueless.

"Rangiku, _I am going to kill you,_" Rukia muttered loud enough for all to hear.

"But Rukia-chan, you should be proud that you saved yourself for your husband!"

_"MATSUMOTO!!!"_

"Funny, that's what Taicho always says," she giggled while handing her another box, completely ignoring Rukia's ire. This box, though, was much smaller. "This one is from the Vaizard gals, Lisa-san, Mashiro-san, and Hiyori-san."

"Somehow, I have a feeling this is equally inappropriate."

Matsumoto laughed. "No, this one is _entirely_ appropriate."

Rukia opened it and blushed. "A year's supply of birth control pills....?"

"Well, _technically_ it's for your wedding _day_."

Everyone, even bashful Isane, burst out laughing. Rukia couldn't help but chuckle at the sheer audacity these people had. Unbelievable.

Ichihime sauntered over. "Alright, Lieutenant Shorty, this is from me," and pried open Rukia's fist and slapped a wooden disc in her hand.

It was incredible artistry. The wooden circle was about an inch thick. On one side, the Kuchiki crest had been intricately carved in perfect detail, the other side had the Shiba crest. Each side must have been stained with a different agent, since one side was light and the other was dark. A small hole had been drilled through the disc, and a braid of silver thread had been pulled through. The disc had an incredible appeal; almost as though it had the flavor of valuable antique furniture.

"You hang it from your hip. I made it myself out of cherry wood - from a tree in Inazuri," Ichihime explained. "You weren't always a princess, and that part of you deserves to be at the wedding, too."

Rukia looked up at the pink-haired acting lieutenant. "Ichihime-san, I don't know what to say," she sniffled, tears welling in her eyes. The wooden charm's origin made her proud.

"Eh, you're a Kuchiki. It didn't take long hangin' out with Captain Stonewall to learn that saying things is often unnecessary," she teased.

Rukia hugged her. "Thank you _so_ much, Ichihime-san. And to think that I wanted to kill you six weeks ago," she laughed.

"Yeah, that was some fight," Nanao interrupted, clearly trying to move things along. "I have a feeling Kuchiki Taicho is getting antsy from all the extra estrogen in his manor," recalling the numerous times the Shinigami Women's Association drove him crazy holding secret meetings in his manor, "so we have to hurry up. It's just me and Hinamori-san left, and I'm going to go first."

Rukia wiped her tears. Nanao was one of her closest friends, and had voluntarily helped her plan and oversee the wedding details. She was going to be one of the bridesmaids at the wedding alongside Karin, Orihime and Momo.

"Rukia-chan," Nanao began, "I want to start by saying I'm so happy for you. You're very lucky to have found someone who cares about you so much. Anyway, I hope you like these."

Rukia unwrapped a small bundle to reveal four beautiful plum-wood chopsticks. The wide ends were all coated in gold, and each was etched with her name.

Rukia was wide-eyed with disbelief. "Nanao-san - you convinced Banzo Tanabi!?!"

According to the customary symbolism of fours, the bride was supposed to wear four chopsticks in her hair. These chopsticks were called the Four Posts, and recognized the honor of the Four Houses. It was considered the greatest honor to present the bride with this gift. The one who did wore a special purple scarf at the wedding, and was given the title of the most distinguished guest, the Crowngifter. Rukia knew that Nanao would have needed approval from Nii-sama, Kuukaku, Yoruichi, and even Banzo Tanabi for the right to bequeath them. She had honestly thought that she would have received them from Nii-sama the day of the wedding.

Rukia dived into Nanao's shoulder, startling her friend with a fierce hug. "Nanao-san, I am _sooooo_ honored. It means so much to me that I got these from you. Becoming a lieutenant, the wedding plans, finding the right books, all of the advice - I don't know how I would have been able to do all of this myself. You've been like a big sister I never had."

"You're welcome, Rukia-chan,_"_ Nanao said, a bit teary. Nanao was the only person in the room, save for Hinamori, who understood that what Rukia said was much deeper than the casual remark implied. Rukia had mentioned to them once or twice about how sorry she was that she never met Hisana, and how Rukia had always wondered how her life would have been different if she had her older sister to guide her. Nanao whispered in her ear. "I never had a sister before, either, but I feel like I do now. Wear them well, Rukia-chan."

Rukia was overwhelmed with happiness, and savored the moment before taking the opportunity to tease her girlfriend. "Well, hurry up and ask that guy out so I can reciprocate already!"

Nanao swatted her away in mock annoyance, hiding her emotions again. "You're welcome, Rukia-chan." Rukia smiled tenderly and gave Nanao another quick squeeze.

Hinamori put her hand on Rukia's arm. She knew Momo was going to have something to say, and Rukia wanted to listen carefully. Her friends and colleagues could tell that Rukia wanted quiet, so it didn't take long until everyone was focusing on the 5th division vice captain.

"Rukia-chan, we've become such good friends over the past four months. Before I give you your gift, I wanted to tell you how thankful I am for everything you've done for me. You've been a friend and role model that has really helped me in so many intangible ways."

Rukia smiled warmly at her. "Momo-chan, do you remember when I used to call you 'Hinamori-sensei'?"

Momo laughed. "That seems like forever ago. It's hard to believe it's only been four months. Here."

Rukia took a long roll of ribbon from her. It was scarlet with gold trim on the edges, but she wasn't sure what it was for.

"I know how much your lieutenant's badge means to you, Rukia-chan. You fought your entire past to earn that badge. It was an inspiration to me," she explained, "and you deserve to have it with you on your wedding day. I know it's not much of a gift, but I bought this ribbon for you to replace the white armband on your badge, so that you could wear it with your kimono."

Rukia could not hold back the tears. "Momo-chan, I couldn't have asked for anything better," and opened her arms to receive a hug from her friend. " It's perfect. No words can describe how perfect it it is. Thank you so, so much."

***

"Nanao-san? Momo-chan? Where's my stuff?"

Nanao answered. "Tori-san came to take your gifts, if that's what you're asking."

"But what about my scarf and pin and shihakusho? And where is Sode no Shirayuki?"

"She took that stuff, too," Momo clarified.

Rukia swore under her breath. She would have to go back to her room before she could change. Her skimpy garment that was a sorry excuse for clothing was not sufficient to fend off the cold. "If you guys don't mind, I'm freezing. You mind if I go?"

They waved her off and told her they would catch up with her later. Rukia was so grateful for the two of them. They had really taken care of her these past six weeks.

Rukia opened the door to the dining room and turned in the direction of her room - to face her _brother._

Byakuya surveyed his sister with intense amusment. Despite having no blood relation to her whatsoever, most never knew it because of their light complexion and onyx hair. However, Rukia was tanned to the color of coffee with milk, with ludicrously silly red henna scribblings all over her hands and arms. Her nails on fingers and toes were a motley assortment of awful blaring hues. He did find the shock of bleached bangs interesting - it reminded him of his own kenseikan, actually - and the little hair wrap was both pretty and tasteful, unlike her makeup. It was _completely_ overdone.

But he laughed a thousand times over inside at her ridiculous outfit. The short skirt reminded him of the kind that Lieutenant Whatshername Nemu used to wear, but the shirt was beyond tactful. First of all, she clearly didn't have the assets for it - and her wrap defeated the point of such a deep v-neck shirt - but what she did have (admittedly more than he had expected) was positioned so antithetical to her sense of modesty that he couldn't help but cover his mouth in order to guarantee that his stifled snicker wouldn't show.

Humiliated to the point where she wanted to crawl into a hole and die, Rukia quickly covered her hands over her chest. _I want to disappear from the universe._ Then she saw him trying to hold back, and it was just too much. _"Don't say a word."_

He removed his hand to reveal an emerging grin. It was clear that even he was having trouble containing his pending laughter. "Imoto-san," he began, but she interrupted him.

_"Not. One. Word."_

Byakuya nodded and flashed off with shunpo all the way to his private chambers, where he burst out laughing so hard he started coughing. It was only eleven seconds before he managed to put his mask back together, but it was possible that this was the first time he had laughed like that in over twenty years.

* * *

_Reviews, please! What parts of this chapter did you like best? Name your top three favorite moments! Next chapter: More Byakuya/Kuukaku, a side of Ichihime, and a crafty Yuzu. -njx_

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~~Crossover Cup!~~

Today's special guest: _Black Hayate, _from Full Metal Alchemist!

_Nathan: _Um, why do we have a dog on the program?

_BH: _Woof!

_Nathan: _Okay, this is ridiculous. We need guests who can talk.

_BH: _Woof! Woof! Bark!

_Nathan: _No, that doesn't count.


	31. Emotionally Constipated

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Bleach.

_Translator's note: In Japanese, "Aniki" basically means older brother. In the manga, Ganju refers to Kaien this way. -njx_

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_One week before the wedding_

Byakuya had a sinking feeling when his acting lieutenant came in to his office. "Yes, Banzo-kun?"

Ichihime saluted. "Taicho-sama, there's someone here to see you." _Your girlfriend,_ she wanted to add, but Ichihime didn't dare say that out loud. Captain Stonewall would have her scrubbing toilets for a week. Taicho-sama would prefer it if Shiba Kuukaku left him alone - or at least that's what Ichihime knew he _believed,_ even if everyone else in the universe knew better.

"Send her in."

Before Ichihime could move, Kuukaku came in through the door. Clearly, she had been listening immediately outside the door. "Good afternoon, Byakuya-san."

"Good afternoon," he replied flatly. Ichihime was smart enough to take that as her cue to leave.

"Hey, look at that, a normal, civil exchange between us. We're making progress," Kuukaku teased him. "Can I make you some tea?"

Byakuya ignored the jab, preferring to pay attention to his manners. "It is the host's responsibility to serve," he commented dryly.

"Well, I've been here six or seven times in the past two weeks already, and you've never objected to me making tea before. Personally, I think it's because you hate to admit that you actually _like_ my tea."

Byakuya chose to return with nothing more than the facial equivalent of a shrug. Not that he was the type of person who lied, but somehow she would know if he did; so he didn't bother to deny it.

Kuukaku busied herself for a minute, choosing to let the relatively comfortable silence sit for a while. She eventually put a mug in front of him, and he politely took it and gestured for her to sit. She motioned to him that she would prefer standing, and they drank tea in peace for a moment.

"I should stash some sake in your office," Kuukaku commented offhand.

"You should do no such thing," he replied, his voice indicating his annoyance with her insistence on finding ways to inject herself into his life.

"Well, then get some. It's always polite to have some handy for company," she quipped sociably.

Byakuya sighed. "I believe we have all of the financial matters for the wedding settled, Kuukaku-san."

She was quick to notice the casual use of her personal name, but filed away that bit for later. "Somehow, I can't imagine that you think the distribution is fair," she commented.

"It is the bride's House that is obligated to cover the majority of expenses."

Kuukaku teased him. "Oh, you're just saying that because you think it's not nice to make the lady pay," her serpentine smile accompanied with a vulpine display of leg 'casually' propped up on a chair.

Byakuya ignored her wooing. "I am merely following proper custom," he insisted, as though he wanted to finish the sentence by saying _'this is not the bill for a dinner date'_.

Kuukaku went serious. "Byakuya-san, listen to me for a minute. I've paid for the flowers, the music, and the security, just like custom says; but that's a drop in the bucket by comparison. This wedding is expensive, even for you. I would be insulted if you won't ask me for assistance just because I'm a woman."

Byakuya was careful to respond genuinely. It was a fair request, and this was indeed a serious item to consider. Not accepting an offer to fund a wedding would be a grave offense in _any_ circle, not just nobility; and even if he didn't need it, it was important that he be diplomatic. "It is indeed expensive," he answered sincerely, "but wealth has no meaning if it cannot be used for good cause. Thankfully, as you know, Ise Fukutaicho has made sure that the costs are within my budget. But I can assure you that if I did not feel my finances were in adequate condition, I would have approached you. "

"Good," she answered with a triumphant smile. Kuukaku trusted him to tell the unfiltered truth when it came to things like this.

"Is that all?" he asked before taking another sip of the tea that she had prepared.

"What, you don't like having someone keep you company for a bit?" she teased with mock offense.

Byakuya thought about the loneliness that his office inspired in him recently. As much as she drove him crazy, she was admittedly conversational. "No, I do not mind."

She smiled with an almost inaudible chuckle. He was surprising sometimes. "You don't really hate me all that much, do you?"

He chose the politically correct answer. "Allow me to say that you and Kurosaki have much in common."

Kuukaku cracked up laughing. He didn't find it particularly amusing.

"Byakuya-san, you're quite the fellow," she teased.

"As I've been told," he retorted, and although he hadn't intended it, he realized in hindsight that it came out in a humorous fashion.

There was a quiet peace as the two heads of house drank tea together. It was a bit unusual, but Byakuya broke the silence first. "I have not yet had a chance to comment on your gift to Imoto-san. It is rather extraordinary. I was not aware that the Shiba family had such a treasure." Even Byakuya had never seen anything like the two-hundred-carat ruby brooch she had given Rukia at the bridal shower.

Kuukaku had been secretly overjoyed that Byakuya had made such a wholesale switch in the way he treated his sister, especially when Rukia wasn't there to hear him talk about her using this new nickname. It was Kuukaku's only real victory in all these weeks, and while she had pushed it for Rukia's sake, she couldn't help but feel like it was just as much for her own sake. Despite this victory, she couldn't dwell on it since the topic in and of itself was not entirely a pleasant one. "I am sorry to say that the brooch only came into my possession through tragedy."

Byakuya set down his tea for a moment. "I... I am sorry to hear that."

Kuukaku took the opportunity to push his buttons. "You're not going to ask me where I got it, Byakuya-san?"

He hesitated. "I did not wish to appear rude."

"You? Rude? Never," she playfully teased before reverting to a serious tone. "It was a gift originally given to Miyako-chan for her wedding with Aniki. It was hers; I inherited it since they had no children."

Byakuya thought for a moment, wanting to provide the proper response. The kindness of Shiba Kuukaku's gift could not go unpraised. "Shiba Miyako was an extraordinary individual; a woman of great valor who was amongst the most respected shinigami ever to grace the Gotei 13. It is a tremendous honor for Imoto-san to receive such a precious family treasure. I can only hope that seeing it on the bride will bring honor to Miyako-dono's memory and the entire House of Shiba."

Kuukaku smiled warmly. Words such as those from the mouth of Kuchiki Byakuya were treasures of even greater value than any stone could ever hold. "Thank you for your numerous compliments, Byakuya-san. They honor my pride and my sister's legacy of service."

Byakuya nodded kindly and went back to sipping his tea. It was the least he could do for such a magnanimous gesture; and indeed, Shiba Miyako had been a valuable asset to the Gotei 13. Many attributed the rise in female membership among the ranks to her leadership, and she was widely known as a positive influence on morale. When his grandfather, Kuchiki Ginrei, had still been captain, Byakuya had known that Shiba Miyako was on the short list for 6th division vice captain. In the end, Shirogane Ginjiro had been selected, as Miyako-dono was very loyal to the 13th division and at the time was still only a 9th seat. Ginjiro, the 13th division 3rd seat, had been the politically correct choice, although Byakuya had always wondered if Jii-sama had been happy with that decision.

Personally, Byakuya had always wondered how a woman with such grace and elegance could have married a brash punk like Shiba Kaien. On the other hand, though, his own sister was marrying Kurosaki. Maybe it was a 'bad boy' thing or something.

"Would you like some more, Byakuya-san?"

He paused, unsure, but ultimately decided to pass her his cup. He did not wish to appear unsociable.

"Are you excited for the wedding?" she asked, trying to make small talk.

Byakuya raised an eyebrow at her.

"Let me guess, if I were you I would answer something like, 'You presume that I ever get excited about anything, Shiba Kuukaku'?" she jested.

He sighed, but otherwise gave no response. How this woman could read his mind drove him up the wall.

"You're such a riot, Byakuya-san. We should have started dating years ago."

That statement annoyed him. "And what precisely leads you to believe that we ever started?"

She laughed. "_I_ didn't say we ever did. Are _you _perhaps finally admitting to something?" she teased.

"I admit to no such thing," he grumbled at her, or at least as much as Kuchiki Byakuya could sound like he was grumbling. This woman never missed an opportunity to ensnare him in every possible, imaginable way.

Kuukaku decided it was time to be direct with him; no matter how much it set her up for failure. She had to risk it. "Come now, Byakuya-san. You have to admit we're an item by now."

She was hoping for a sigh of defeat - his typical tacit acknowledgement - but he remained standoffish. Kuukaku decided to go for broke, and pushed him. Softly, she added, "You can be yourself around me, Byakuya-san. Really, it's okay."

He gave her an offended look, which was something she hadn't seen before. "I am perfectly myself," he insisted.

Kuukaku sighed, unsure of where to go from here. She took another sip of her tea before setting the mug down, resigned.

Byakuya could tell she was trying to hide that she was upset, but he didn't want to point it out; it would have been rude. He tried to find the right words, but he regretted how they came across the moment he said them. "Thank you for the good company."

He only realized after he spoke that they would imply it was time for her to go, and he wanted to berate himself for his idiocy. In trying to keep her at arm's length, he had offended her, and he did not want that - but it was too late.

Kuukaku turned slowly to the door. Byakuya wanted to apologize, but he doubted anything appropriate he could say would help her mood. He swallowed an uncomfortable lump in his throat, something he had not had to do for many years.

"Byakuya-san...?" she asked, her back to him as she stood in the doorway.

He didn't know why, but at that moment, he would have given anything to be able to see her face. "Yes, Kuukaku-san?"

Her voice was proud - but also pained and filled with sadness when she provided her departing words. "Will there ever be another woman who will come searching for you like I have?"

Byakuya sat in silence at his desk, lonely after she disappeared from his vision. The pain in his chest was too much to bear, even for him.

***

Ichihime saw Kuukaku departing, and she looked dejected. Goddamnit, what did that tightwad do to her now?

She hesitated for a good long while until she finally marched into her captain's office, her temper getting the best of her. She was totally gonna tell him off for being a jerk. "Taicho-sama?"

"Yes, Banzo-kun?" he asked. He was sitting at his desk, staring into his tea. It was definitely unusual - normally, the only thing he did when sitting at the desk was fill out forms. Kuukaku usually left him touchy, not melancholy.

The sight was a total buzzkill, and Ichihime's anger petered out. It was replaced with concern. "Uh, everything okay in here?"

Byakuya sighed deeply. "I suppose." Ichihime knew that meant 'no'.

Damnit, she thought. I can't believe he's so freakin' emotionally constipated. It's pathetic.

Oh well. As much I as I hope things work out between Captain Stonewall and Lady Firecracker, at least I'll know what to expect if I get a chance to come after him next.

***

_Five days later_

"Yuzu, we'll be back in on Monday, okay?"

"But Karin-chan, you'll be gone for five days! You're going to miss school, and it's only the first week!"

"I know, but Ichi-nii is going to see Ruki-nee's extended family, and if he goes by himself he's just gonna get into trouble."

Yuzu was really struggling with this. She had long ago accepted that Oniichan and Rukia-neechan had long been missing school for things she didn't understand. She had asked Otousan about it, and he would only give her a cryptic answer. All he would tell her was that Oniichan would always be doing things with Rukia-neechan that she would probably never understand, but that if she worried it would only make it hard for the two of them. So she struggled to be strong and trust that her brother wasn't skipping school to sell drugs or something awful like that.

But now Karin was hiding things from her? That was too much. Yuzu felt so in the dark, and it hurt. She was the matriarch of the family; it was her job to take care of everybody. To make them dinner, to do the laundry, to clean and sew. She loved cooking and enjoyed sewing, but Yuzu didn't take on these burdens because she got enjoyment out of scrubbing toilets. She did it because she felt it was her duty. If she could just try to be half the woman her mother was, maybe the pain of missing her would be easier for Otousan, Oniichan and Karin-chan to handle.

True, it had been eight years ago now; but Yuzu still felt that was the best she could do. That was how she could help her brother, who still felt responsible for what happened; and give back to Karin, who had always protected her from bullies. This was her role, the way she contributed, the way _she_ protected her family. It was one thing for Ichigo to go and do weird teenage things, but if Karin left her too, it would feel like she had no one left to mother.

"Karin-chan, you're keeping a secret from me. I want to know what it is!"

"Yuzu-chan - believe me when I say I can't tell you," she answered reluctantly. Karin knew this was going to happen eventually, she just didn't want it to happen now.

"Why not!?" Yuzu pouted.

"It's not my secret to share," she answered lamely.

"Well then why won't Oniichan tell me anything?"

Karin felt intensely guilty. It's not my fault that only one of us can see hollows and shinigami, she thought, but that doesn't really make me feel any better. "I... I can't answer that question."

_Fine,_ _I'll get the answer myself,_ Yuzu thought, and marched out of their room. She knocked fiercely on the door to Ichigo's room. "I know you're in there, Oniichan, and you're not leaving until you tell me where you're going with Karin-chan!"

Ichigo opened the door to find Yuzu with clenched fists and an angry face. It honestly twisted a knife in him to see her so upset. "Yuzu, I..."

"I don't get it! How come Otousan and I can't come?"

"It's not so simple."

"Of _course,_" she retorted. "_Everything's_ complicated. You sneaking off all the time. Rukia-neechan leaving for weeks on end. And now you're taking Karin-chan, and leaving me behind? It's not _fair,_ Oniichan!"

Ichigo tried to put a hand on her shoulder, but Yuzu swatted it away. Ichigo had never seen her this upset before - Yuzu was not the kind to refuse affection or comfort. He sighed, not sure of how he was going to do this.

"Yuzu, I know this isn't easy for you."

Her expression didn't soften. "It's not _fair._"

_I know, believe me, I know. I wish I could tell you I'm going to marry Rukia. I wish you could be there. It's absolutely the most unfair thing that has ever existed._ "I know."

"Then _why?_" she sniffled. The tears that had welled up in her eyes had begun to fall down her face to the floor, and to Ichigo, each one felt worse than a thousand blows from an espada. He would rather fight Grimmjaw and Ulqiorra at the same time, bare-handed, than see those tears.

Ichigo struggled to find the words. "Yuzu," he said, trying to put his hand on her shoulder again. She didn't stop him this time. "I could never lie to you. And that's the reason I can't tell you anything. Because you just simply can't know the truth." He went down on his knees and wrapped his arms around her tightly. "Be strong, so that even though you're not there, Rukia will know you're happy for her."

A silent understanding passed between them at that moment. Yuzu would never ask Ichigo about his exploits, nor those of Rukia or Karin. She would instead find her own inner strength - her own resolve that told her if she didn't stand tall and proud and bear with it, then she was going to give up the most precious thing she had. Because it was at that moment that Kurosaki Yuzu realized that she had finally lived up to her mother. Kurosaki Yuzu didn't take care of their home - Kurosaki Yuzu _was_ home; and it didn't matter that she didn't understand what was going on. It only mattered that Ichigo, Rukia, and Karin could always come back to her.

Knowing the truth was no longer essential. From then on, she said a silent prayer every time they left - which would be thousands of times to come - and never asked about their alternate lives again. Yuzu was their rock, their anchor on reality. She needed to be strong for them, so that they always had a home to come back to. If she faltered, they would falter - and Yuzu was a Kurosaki. They don't let others fall down on their account.

Besides, she was gonna get Otousan piss-drunk. Then he would tell her _everything._

* * *

_Happy Passover, everybody! May everyone have reason to celebrate freedom, using the definition that is most meaningful to them. And for those of you chomping on matzah, don't forget the prune juice._

_Reviews, please! I'm really curious to hear your feedback on Yuzu in this chapter. Every time I read it I get so emotional. Next update may be out a bit later than usual due to the holiday. Next chapter: Long-awaited secrets are finally revealed! And they will only lead to more questions! Hurray for mystifying mysteries!_

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~~Crossover Cup!~~

Today's special guest: _Mifune, _from Soul Eater!

_Mifune: _Eh, what am I doing here?

_Nathan: _Because you remind everybody of Byakuya. He has a soft spot, just like you, that's hard to find.

_Mifune: _Whatever.

_Nathan: _That second fight with Black Star was totally badass, by the way.

_Mifune: _Uh-huh.

_Nathan:_ You should totally practice with Byakuya. That would be an awesome, awesome fight.

_Mifune:_ I already have a crossover practice partner.

_Nathan: _Really? Who?

_Mifune: _Brigadier General Olivier Mira Armstrong, from Full Metal Alchemist.

_Nathan: _Whoa. And I thought you were badass before.

_Mifune: _Yeah, I'm a real badass. Just don't tell Angela.

_Nathan: _Rule #1 - always listen to the man who can kill you with a 101 swords at once.

_Mifune: _Good man.


	32. Turn Back the Pendulum

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Bleach.

_Surprise! Somehow I found ten minutes on Passover Eve to post a chapter. I'm sure y'all are excited. Happy Passover to all of you out there who celebrate it. :)_

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_Fifty-two years ago_

"Ise-san! Look out!"

8th division 7th Seat Ise Nanao dived for cover as the pair of aerial hollows cross-swooped right where she had been standing. Ise flipped over onto her back and chained a quick _Hado #33: Blue Fire Crash Down_ into its _Twin Lotus_ version #66, grazing one of the hollows on the wing.

"You okay?" Miyako called out.

"_Hai,_ Shiba San-Seki!"

Miyako dived towards the nearest grounded hollow, deftly slicing off the leg, spinning with her blade up to hack off an arm. 14th Seat Kotetsu Kiyone took the same approach on the other side, forming a pincer attack designed to immobilize the giant crawler. In a wickedly fast swirl of precision swings, Miyako had carved up six hollow that flanked their current target, allowing Kotetsu to take care of the now-handicapped hollow crawler.

15th Seat Kotsubaki Sentaro hauled Nanao to her feet, swinging his sledgehammer into the mask of a hopping hollow no larger than a shetland pony. Nanao shunpoed to a safe spot, trying to find the aerial hollows that were her responsibility, while Kotsubaki provided her ground cover.

Although Ise normally went on hollow hunts in the Rukongai as part of the 8th division, the 13th division had requested her to help them on the current mission. A swarm of class-B hollows had been found in the northern Ukraine, and they were accompanied by multiple class-A aerial hollows. The 13th division was in desperate need of a shinigami with long-range offensive capabilities, and 8th division Vice Captain Onabara Gengoro had recommended his 7th seat for the job due to her excellent kido skills. The captains of both divisions agreed it was a good fit. Kyoraku Shunsui knew Ise personally, and had seen to it that she received her training from fellow captain Unohana Retsu, quite possibly the greatest kido expert in the Gotei 13. Ukitake Jushiro knew that Ise Nanao had already met his third seat, Shiba Miyako, through the Shinigami Women's Association.

Over in the distance, she could see Kotetsu releasing her shikai; using the whip to immobilize a large hollow so Miyako could get in close. Nanao admired everything about Shiba Miyako. She was a beautiful and courageous woman, and on the battlefied was incredibly fast, both in form and perception. It was widely known that the only woman who could defeat Miyako in a swordfight was Captain Unohana Retsu, and most of the men didn't dare challenge her, either. Ise idolized Shiba San-Seki even more than she did Lisa Fukutaicho, although she was careful not to grow attached to her. All shinigami met their death, and Nanao didn't want to break down the way she did almost fifty years ago when her previous role model disappeared.

The distraction nearly cost Ise Nanao her life, but that was okay. Nanao had planned it that way. If the hollows thought she wasn't paying attention, they were more likely to attack. Her strategy had worked. One of the two beasts she was currently engaging had dived towards her, gaping maw ready to devour her; but Nanao was prepared with a _Hado #31: Shot of Red Fire_ straight down its throat.

Now, for most people, the relatively weak #31 would have hurt or possibly even killed a hollow flying at them full speed. However, the monster would have crashed into them, failing to disintegrate before striking its target. Nanao, though, was not the average kido user. With near-zero hand-to-hand and blade skills, and only decent shunpo, the overwhelming majority of Nanao's spiritual power was heavily concentrated in kido. A #31 that she could crank out was more comparable to a #63 - and this particular hollow took it point-blank. It exploded into a cloud of vaporizing dust, and the only thing that collided with Ise Nanao was its drool on her glasses.

The second aerial beast, a gargantuan hawk-like hollow, became enraged by the loss of its partner. It roared a shriek of terror and came screaming down at her. Ise was ready with an incantation - she was tired of playing around. Her _Hado #88: Flying Dragon-Striking Heaven-Shaking Thunder Cannon_ roared out of her open hands, completely enveloping the flying gremlin in a raging storm of blue energy.

Ise Nanao's blaze of death stopped, and she expected to find nothing left. To her complete shock, the putrid sack of flesh and bone failed to disappear, stuck in midair. What the hell....?

Two massive doors appeared behind the hollow, bigger than Nanao had ever seen before. Each door was emblazoned with a skeleton whose head was partially wrapped in bandages. Nanao knew from her education in Shinou Academy and the Gotei 13 that these were the Gates of Hell, but she had never actually seen them before.

The gates opened, and Ise's head began to swim in haunting, lilting refrains. The gothic soprano was the most amazing sound she had ever heard. Ise Nanao loved to sing - she had a wonderfully smooth alto voice herself - but she had never heard anything that sounded as charming and inviting as that sweet, mesmerizing opera from beyond the gates. Nanao completely ignored the fact that a grand demon was visible on the other side, or that it was spearing its massive sword into her previous target. She was too engrossed in its hypnotic call, the sheer ecstasy of harmonious fifth-tones opening her mind.

She felt so alive, as though the neurons in her brain were being stimulated with orgasmic waves of excitement. It felt better than sex. Way better. Nanao could see little spirits roaming around behind the door. Each one resembled a human clad in a dark gray cloak, but with white hair and orange eyes. Some of them even had glasses like she did, and they were all singing that gorgeous aria. The sound of it was more addictive than cocaine; and Nanao was joining in to the music, her perfect pitch allowing her to harmonize with them flawlessly.

_Sister, they are calling us._

Yes.....

_They can tell you my name._

Yes.....

_Don't you want to know my name?_

Yes..... your name......

***

_"ISE-SAN!"_

Kotsubaki dived into his battle partner, locking his arms around her. "What the hell do you think you're doing!?"

Nanao was screaming and crying hysterically, reaching for the open doors, begging, pleading, demanding to be let go. She bit Kotsubaki's arm, and he yelped in pain, and she scrambled and crawled for the gates, the siren's call of the voices within telling her to come home; home where she could hear that beautiful music every day and every night.

Kotusbaki grabbed her ankle and yanked hard. At 6' and 165 lbs, it didn't take much to pull the slender 7th seat back, but she landed next to him and started climbing over him to get back to the gates, punching him in the eye and kneeing him in the groin. It hurt like nobody's business, but Ukitake was going to slaughter him if he let Kyoraku's precious adopted daughter disappear into Hell.

Kotsubaki grabbed her by the sash, pulling her backwards again. _Goddamn it, the Gates never stay open this long!_ he swore. Ise was being completely irrational, screaming mindlessly in hysteria, scratching and kicking and punching him, telling him to let go. He wasn't going to do that, but then she zapped him with a low-grade Hado #4.

Faced with no other discernable choices in the heat of the moment, he swung his shikai right into her knee, the heavy iron head of his hammer shattering it. Nanao fell to the ground, yelling in agony, but was still trying to crawl to the gates. Kotsubaki jumped on top of her, sitting on her back and pressing his knees into her shoulders, using his arms to pin hers down so that she couldn't fight back.

_"I NEED SOME BACKUP!"_

Miyako flashed into place. "What the...?"

_**"JUST SHUT THOSE DAMN GATES!"**_

Miyako didn't ask further. "Iron pillars of crowning glory / pinwheels of river water over the steel flowers / Eyes be sealed from roaring mountains / _Bakudo #83:_ Heaven-Sealing Plasma Lock!"

Nanao screamed ferociously, tears burning her eyes. "No! No, no - _no!_ Home - I want to go home! _I WANT TO GO HOME!"_

As the bakudo spell began to work and the giant Gates of Hell began to close, Miyako looked down on the 7th seat with anguish and pity. She didn't know what was happening, but Ise Nanao was a raving lunatic at the moment. The gates finally closed, and Miyako could see her straining stop as she collapsed into unconsciousness.

***

"Juu, this is _bad._"

Ukitake rubbed his chin. "Shiba San-Seki, thank you for the report. Kyoraku-san and I will take it from here."

Miyako bowed politely. "_Hai,_ Taicho. Do you think she'll be okay?"

Kyoraku stood up from the chair he had been sitting in. "She's a tough woman, Miyako-dono. Nanao-chan will pull through."

She bowed politely again, and then left the captains to discuss the matter further.

"Shunsui, when was the last time you heard of something like this?"

"I don't know. Never heard of anything like it in my entire life. Maybe Yama-jii or Retsu-chan know of something from before then. We could ask her."

"Now, now, Shunsui-kun, it's not so nice to call attention to a woman's age," Unohana Retsu interrupted as she walked in the door. Shunsui tensed up. Retsu could have chosen to castrate him for using -chan, so he was cautious.

"Unohana-san," Ukitake greeted her. "How's she doing?"

"Better. 4th Seat Kotetsu Isane has completely healed her knee, and otherwise she's physically fine. At the moment, she's sleeping. Emotionally, I'm sure she's a mess."

"Kotetsu-san could heal a shattered knee that quickly?" Shunsui asked offhand.

"Hai," she answered politely. "Isane-san is extremely talented. I'm thinking of promoting her to vice captain. Yamada Fukutaicho has already told me he would like to retire."

"Ah, that's right," Ukitake recalled. "He adopted a new son, correct?"

"Mm-hmm," Retsu confirmed with a nod. "Seinosuke-san says he hopes I'm still captain when little Hanataro joins the 4th himself," she chuckled.

Kyoraku was annoyed that he started a tangent. "Retsu-san, what do you think of Miyako-dono's report?"

Retsu sighed. "Very little is known about what lies beyond the Gates of Hell. If you realize how little we know about Hueco Mundo - despite all of our best efforts to research it - you'll realize how miniscule our understanding of Hell is."

"How comforting," Kyorakyu sighed.

"All I know is that just like Soul Society, Hell has its own guardians that are similar to us shinigami. The Soutaicho know of them as the Handoshi, or Hands of Death. I've seen the Gates hundreds of times, but I've only seen them once. Even that was a long time ago. But neither of us know any more than that."

"You mean we don't know anything else?" Ukitake asked.

"Everything else is just theory. Kurotsuchi Taicho has pondered the subject a bit, but no one knows whether or not any of his ideas are true. In fact, Ginrei-dono seriously questions his speculations."

"Which doesn't help us," Shunsui pouted. "Juu, what do you think I should do?"

"I would keep her out of combat, that's for one," Ukitake recommended. "Who knows what will happen if she sees the Gates again."

"Oh, she's not going to like that," he answered.

"Retsu-san, isn't she your most gifted kido student?" Jushiro suggested. "Wouldn't she be at home in the 4th? I think she may even be friends with your 4th seat."

"Absolutely not," Unohana answered. "Nanao can do healing kido, but her near-absolute hado mastery is a likely indication that she has darker inclinations."

"I agree," Kyoraku said. "Nanao-chan doesn't exactly have the bedside manner for the 4th division."

Ukitake plopped down in the chair Shunsui had been using. "I suppose the best thing to do is to talk to her when she wakes up, and then figure out what to do from there."

Kyoraku was worried. No matter how much he knew he shouldn't get attached to his subordinates, he was really concerned. Shunsui was not the type who ever wanted to be a parent - he just couldn't see himself that way - but that girl was practically his own daughter. All he could do was hope, for her sake, that she didn't remember a single thing about what had happened.

* * *

_Ahah! The events that led up to the beginning of chapter 16, and a reference to the flashback in chapter 9! Interesting....  
Next chapter: The real-world crew comes to Soul Society to prepare for the wedding - Karin's first interdimensional trip._

* * *

~~Crossover Cup!~~

Today's special guest: _Professor Franken Stein,_ from Soul Eater!

_FS: _She can feel the madness!

_Nathan: _Uh-oh. I'm getting out of here before I get dissected.


	33. Choking On Your Own Blood

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Bleach.

_Funny, I expected more reviews based on last chapter's revelation of Nanao's psychotic episode. Oh well. _

_**Author's notes/references/reminders: **If you don't know anything about Kiyone challenging Rukia, for heaven's sake, go read "Save This For Kuchiki"; it also records Renji's promotion to 9th division captain for those of you who don't remember. Also, "Yoruichi's book" is a reference to Ch. 14 in "Save Me, Kuchiki", in case you don't recall. __-njx_

* * *

Kurosaki Karin had heard plenty about Soul Society, and had deduced even more from the various tidbits she had gathered while living with two active-duty shinigami. However, no one had ever really mentioned anything about the Dangai Precipice World before.

Karin looked over her shoulder at the purple monstrosity chasing after them. "What in hell is that thing!?"

_"Shut up and keep running!"_ Ichigo yelled at her.

For once, Karin listened to him.

***

Ichigo, Karin, Orihime, Chad, Ishida, Yoruichi and Urahara arrived safely in Soul Society, although they were all a bit out of breath. For those who had made the trek before, passing through the Dangai Precipice World was old hat. Karin, on the other hand, realized that she was going to be in for a lot of surprises on this adventure. Thank god Yuzu would remain innocent, she thought. I've been on this trip for all of five minutes, and I've seen stuff that would have scared her to death.

Tori was there to greet them. "Welcome, Shihoin-dono, Urahara-dono, Kurosaki-dono."

"You must be Tori-san," answered Yoruichi. "Kuchiki-san warned me of your inability to be casual," she teased.

"It is possibly my greatest fault, Shihoin-dono."

Yoruichi laughed out loud. "Che, you're even worse than Soifon."

"To be compared to a noble captain of the Gotei 13 is an honor beyond the imagination of this humble servant, Shihoin-dono."

"Hah! Now I know why Kuchiki-san has such good things to say about you. Here to take the girls?"

"Hai, Shihoin-dono."

"Wait-!" said Ichigo. "How's Rukia doing?"

"Rukia-sama is well, Kurosaki-dono. I know she has missed you terribly, Kurosaki-dono."

"Eh, you'll see her soon enough, Ichigo-kun," Yoruichi said. "Kisuke, Sado-kun, Ishida-kun, Ichigo-kun, we're going to my place. Kuukaku-san set up shop there for the groom's party. There's a lot of details and ceremony to go over."

"Have fun, Kurosaki-kun!" Orihime cheered. "Karin-chan and I will see you the day after tomorrow!"

***

Karin and Orihime arrived amidst a frenzy of tailors swirling around the lucky lady. "Karin-chan! Inoue-san!"

"Ruki-nee!"

"Kuchiki-san!"

"Um, Ruki-nee - what happened to your hair?"

_Damnit, Ichihime!_ she swore silently for the billionth time. _You had to bleach it two weeks before the wedding?!_

***

Isane stopped by the library that morning. She had come early on a hunch that she would find her friend Ise Nanao there. She was worried that because it was only a couple of days before the wedding, Nanao might be off somewhere, but she had lucked out. Sort of.

Isane rubbed Nanao's back to stir her. Her bookish friend had fallen asleep at a work table. Papers of all kinds covered the table in neat stacks, including invoices, receipts, accounting ledgers, and god knows what else. "_Nanao-saaan,_ good morning, _Naaaanaaao-saaan,_" she chirped softly in her ear.

"Ugh," Nanao groaned. "Taicho, leave me alone," she mumbled.

"Good morning, _Naaaanaaao-saaan,_" Isane tried again, gently massaging Nanao's shoulders in an attempt to get her blood flowing. "I brought you some tea - and a muffin!"

"Damnit, Taicho, I've had it picking those damn cherry blossoms for your stupid entrance shtick," Nanao babbled, half-asleep.

Isane laughed as she continued to work out the kinks in her friend's back. She knew Nanao was faking it now. Nanao had been saying that particular gripe for years. "How's the planning going?"

Nanao stretched as she let out a great big yawn. "Well, I guess. I have to go yell at Omaeda, though. He's totally ignoring all of my security preparation requests."

"Sure, but you probably expected as much," Isane remarked as she sat down across the table, pushing the mug and muffin across to her fellow vice captain. She had already eaten breakfast. Porridge, of course.

"Of course I did," Nanao snarked before taking a long pull on the tea. Isane knew that Nanao liked it strong. "Which is why I need to be on top of him. Beyond the fact that it's such a high-profile wedding - Grand Lady of the Kuchiki House marries Hero of the Winter War - just about every noble family is going to be there. On top of that, the whole reason Kurosaki-kun proposed in the first place was to escape some of their ire to begin with. As much as he may be from the House of Shiba, he still doesn't bear that family name. Politically speaking, this wedding is like a box of matches next to a barrel of gunpowder."

Isane's face scrunched. "That sounds so... unromantic."

Nanao laughed as she took another sip of tea. "Yeah, well, it's not _my_ wedding. I'm sure the happy couple will find plenty of romantic moments, but I'm too busy making sure Kodachi Hall has enough chairs and tables."

Her tall friend chuckled. "I guess you're right. I suppose that there's lots of unromantic stuff when it comes to an event like this."

Nanao pulled off the wrapper to the muffin as she silently thanked the universe for her friend's kindness. "Thanks for breakfast, Isane-san! What's the occasion?"

"No reason. I know you've been wrapped up in the plans and all, I thought you might want to spend some time with someone not involved in the wedding. You know, a little break."

Nanao smiled warmly. Isane was so good to her. "You're the best," she said, and then proceeded to chomp hungrily into the muffin. "Mmmmm - banana nut! My favorite."

Isane spontaneously went all giddy. "I'm so happy for you! You're gonna be a bridesmaid, and wear that special scarf! That must be so exciting!"

Nanao felt a pang of guilt. "Yeah."

"Oh, you don't have to feel bad! I'm not jealous, I just think it's so cool! You're going to be the most important person there! I mean, after Kuchiki-san and Kurosaki-san, of course. You're probably just nervous, that's all."

Nanao forcibly relaxed and took another bite of muffin as she tried to push her negative feelings aside. "Do you have a date?"

"M-m-me? No - no, of course not."

"Why not?" Nanao asked, washing down another bite with a swig of tea.

"I'm just going to go with Unohana Taicho," she copped out.

Nanao didn't push it. It wasn't like she had asked anybody to come with her, either. "Kiyone-san's not going with you?"

Isane looked a bit sad and happy all at the same time. "She's going with Ukitake Taicho."

"Oh? Interesting." Nanao finished her muffin and tossed the wrapper in the wastebasket. "Isane-san, I'm really sorry, but I gotta go fry Omaeda. Thanks again for breakfast."

"No problem, Nanao-san," she smiled as she got up. "See you later!"

Nanao did something impulsive, and shot up out of her seat to catch up with the tall, silver-haired woman. She wrapped her arms around her waist and gave her friend a tight squeeze.

Isane was a bit startled - Nanao was crying a bit - but didn't mind. "Huh? Nanao-san, are you okay?"

Nanao sniffled in her friend's arms. "Yeah, I'm fine," she lied. "Isane-chan, thank you for everything."

Isane didn't know what had gotten into Nanao, but hugged her back and stroked her hair to comfort her. She was usually never like this, so something big must have been weighing on her mind; but Isane had known Nanao for a long time. Sometimes, the best way to show Nanao that you cared meant that you didn't ask any questions.

***

_Over a century ago_

13th Division Captain Ukitake Jushiro looked over to see how his 9th Seat was doing. The situation was bad. "Miyako-dono? You okay over there?"

"Hai! Almost there!" she answered, carving up a beast as she raced past the mob of hollows down the hospital wing. Between herself, Ukitake Taicho, and 20th seat Kotsubaki, she was the swiftest; so it was her job to find the soul that had been attracting upper-class hollows. According to the reports, it was possible that even an adjuchas was here, but so far they had only seen a handful of class-A hollow mixed in with a wide array of lesser ones. Still, the sheer number of them had been ridiculous.

Miyako flashed in front of a door to a room, stopping to read reiatsu signatures. She was looking for the pulsing center of attention. Pausing only to cleave a hollow's arm off with a near-instantaneous slash of her katana, she continued flashing forward, pausing by each room until she could feel the pulsating aura grow stronger.

She looked behind her quickly. Her captain and subordinate were still tackling the monsters far behind her, so she would have to try and do this alone. To her dismay, she saw her captain get knocked into a bin of biohazardous waste, and Kotsubaki held the line as Ukitake scrambled back to his feet. Miyako wanted to go back and help her captain - it appeared that he had been accidentally stabbed by several used needles that had been part of the waste - but her orders were very strict: Find the source and handle it as soon as humanly possible. The captain and Kotsubaki would call for a backup team to come in from outside if needed; her mission was to find the soul behind the ominous wave of energy that was attracting hollows.

She started the incantation for a Hado #33 - trying to give it some extra oomph - and then cut it loose, flashing forward behind it and allowing the giant blue blaze to burn away the swarm of lesser pests that were trying to get through the double doors.

One hollow managed to avoid it, and retaliated with a quick swipe of its tail; hitting Miyako in the gut and sending her into the wall. She cursed herself for not going into shikai earlier, but gathered her wits quickly enough to avoid the hollow's clawed hand from smashing her in the face. Ducking underneath, she cleaved upwards, splitting the hollow from groin to grin, and then charged through the double doors.

A monstrous beast came at her with stabbing, spiky hairs; but Miyako was both quick and smart. She dived behind an empty rolling bed and heaved it into the hollow as a distraction, then used it as a step-stool to leap and backflip over it, protruding her katana like a giant rotating buzzsaw to cleave the hollow into nothing more threatening than an oversized roll of sushi. It burst into a cloud of dust as Miyako advanced quickly down the hallway, dodging whenever she could and killing whatever she couldn't avoid.

The pulsating kept growing stronger until she was standing outside an operating room. She walked in, carefully sealing the door behind her with a kido barrier to keep out any hollow. Only then did she survey the premises, and when she did, she nearly gagged.

On the hospital bed was a horribly discolored naked corpse of a little girl. The body was completely swollen, with a dark purple tinge everywhere. The sheets were stained with large red and brown splotches, and their appeared to be be a gash on the girl's left leg. Bags of crystallized blood hung over the sides of the bed, and an immense quantity of dried blood was all over the place; like someone had been spraying the stuff through a firehose.

And next to the corpse was the girl's soul, resonating a strange wave of spiritual energy. Miyako had never felt anything like it before.

Miyako was no stranger to sad situations like this one. She had performed konso on several children throughout the course of her career, but this soul was different. First, unlike all of the other children she had encountered, this one wasn't crying. Second, she didn't have a chain of fate, which was no less disturbing. Miyako did a quick check of the girl's spirit ribbon. The only possible explanation was that somehow, this soul had died as a shinigami; but Miyako didn't find a red ribbon - nor did she find a white one, either.

This girl's spirit ribbon was black.

"What's your name?" the little girl asked her, startling Miyako a bit. The child was very beautiful, with curly almost-brunette hair that was more sandy brown than dirty blonde. Her bright green eyes stood out amongst her otherwise Tuscan features.

"Miyako," she answered gently. "How about you?"

"Bella," the little girl answered. "I'm dead, right? Then you must be dead, too?"

Miyako was disturbed by how this girl was so casual about the situation. "I'm here to help you find your way."

Bella nodded. After a while, she spoke. "Vivienna is probably upset."

"Why's that?" Miyako asked, sitting down next to the girl to try and comfort her.

"She was getting married today, and I fell and cut myself. Now I'm dead."

Miyako didn't know who Vivienna was, nor did she think it appropriate to ask, but her heart fell as she tried to digest how awful the whole situation must have been. Curious to understand what had happened - it sounded like Bella was skipping out on some details - Miyako picked up the clipboard that was on the side of the table, and began reading the coroner's report.

Isabella Cantare-Rosselli. Age: 7. Known Conditions: Anemia, Hemophilia. Blood Type: A-. Cause of Death: Several blood transfusions given while trying to treat excessive blood loss due to gash on left leg. B+ blood was accidentally used; caused crystallization of blood stream leading to coronary failure.

_Dear Kami, what a terrible way to die,_ Miyako thought. It must have been excruciatingly painful. Turning to the melancholy little girl, who was tucking a soft strand of light brown hair behind her ear, Miyako tried to decipher how this girl could have been so... unnerved. "Bella, are you okay?"

The little girl nodded. "Death is natural," she said matter-of-factly. Her voice didn't contain one hint of sadness. "It stopped hurting when I died."

"I'm sure it was a relief, then," Miyako replied weakly, otherwise unsure of how else to respond to such a calm, philosophical point of view out of the mouth of a seven-year-old. Miyako swore that the moment she got home, she was going to need a large glass of wine and a really long bubble bath. She was too sensitive for this kind of emotionally challenging work. It freaked her out.

After a moment, Bella pointed at the tragic corpse. "That body just wasn't very good, I guess."

Miyako decided now was the time to do konso, before the situation got any creepier. "Are you ready to leave?"

The girl nodded again, and Miyako tapped her on the forehead with the hilt of her sword. The blue light flickered around Bella, and she disappeared; the pulsating aura finally ceasing.

***

_Back to the present_

Kiyone took a deep breath and knocked on the door to the 10th division captain's office. She rarely dealt with anyone outside her own division, since she had spent most of the past two months taking care of her captain. The fact that she was mostly a laughingstock for her stupid and impetuous decision to challenge Kuchiki Fukutaicho's promotion was another reason.

When Kuchiki had forgiven her, she promised herself she would swear allegiance to the woman for the rest of her life. Considering what she did to sully Rukia's honor and the honor of her badge, Kiyone couldn't face herself if she had committed even one iota less than that. After working with Kuchiki for even the shortest time, Kiyone felt even more guilty. Kuchiki had become an inspirational lieutenant. She commanded respect and brought dignity to everyone around her. She knew how to touch everyone, and despite her regal air, she was personal and attentive to her officers' subtleties in personality. Kiyone couldn't believe that she was so blinded by jealousy that she couldn't see that from the start.

So Kiyone worked hard to gain acceptance in her division, and she was even more grateful that her vice captain actively helped her reintegrate. Kuchiki had praised her, and asked the subordinate officers to reaffirm their trust in her; and Kiyone worked hard to remind them of why they used to be so loyal to their female 3rd Seat in the first place. It wasn't long before Kiyone had reestablished herself as a team member, one who worked for her fukutaicho and not against her.

Outside the 13th, though, it was an entirely different story. Kuchiki's friends, vice captains Ise, Hinamori, and Matsumoto; had forgiven her, likely because they asked Kuchiki about it. Her sister Isane-neechan had beaten her up about it, yelling and screaming at her about how she had completely embarrassed their family name, but it was too hard for her sister to stay mad at her. Things reverted back to normal after Ise Fukutaicho calmed Isane-neechan down.

Amongst the captains, Jushiro-san talked with Unohana Taicho and Kyoraku Taicho, so she was on okay terms with them. It was possible that captains Komamura and Abarai forgave her, since they were close with Kuchiki-san. Beyond that handful of individuals, though, Kiyone was sure that the rest of the Gotei 13 - from the captains through the newest unseated officers - probably thought she was a bratty bitch. Unfortunately, from what they had seen of her, they had every right to think that.

So when a gruff "Oi, come in" came from a voice through the door, Kotetsu Kiyone was expecting to be chewed out once she stepped inside.

"Excuse me, Hitsugaya Taicho...?" He was sitting at his desk, filling out paperwork. Matsumoto was sleeping on the couch, completely oblivious to the world around her.

"Kotetsu? What are you doing here?" he asked, surprised to see her. She had never come by his office before. In fact, whenever he had to deal with the 13th division, Matsumoto always handled it.

"Um, I wanted to ask a favor."

"Me? A favor?" he asked increduously. "What do you want from me?"

"Well, actually, I was really looking to-"

"For heaven's sake, Kotetsu, spit it out!"

"Er, I wanted to know if Matsumoto Fukutaicho would be able to help me get ready for the wedding tomorrow morning."

"That's it? Yeah, whatever. It's not like she's going to be working anyway. Hey, Matsumoto, get up."

"Eh....?" she mumbled groggily.

_"MATSUMOTO!"_

She snapped to attention. "I'm here, Taicho! No need to yell," she said cheerily.

"You weren't really sleeping, were you?" he grumbled accusingly. "You just pretended so I would think you're in too much of a drunken haze to help."

"But Taicho, I _am_ in a drunken haze!"

He rolled his eyes. "Yeah, whatever. Matsumoto, help Kotetsu tomorrow."

Kiyone could hardly believe it was that easy. She had thought the white-haired captain would hold more of a grudge against her. "Th-th-thank you, Hitsugaya Taicho."

He shrugged her off with a mumbled "yeah, yeah, whatever" as she bowed and left.

***

"Byakuya-sama, a girl is here to see you. She says her name is Kurosaki Karin."

Interesting. "Thank you, Hitori-san. Please send her in."

Karin marched in with a small box, all prepared to see him - but the last time Karin had seen him, he had been in human-world attire. In shinigami uniform, complete with haori, scarf and kenseikan, Karin was a bit intimidated. She tried to remember that he was the same person, but his visage was definitely more than she was ready for. "B-B-Byakuya-sama," she greeted him awkwardly.

"Kurosaki Karin," he replied sincerely, "to what do I owe the pleasure?"

Karin smiled as best she could. He really wasn't that scary once you got to know him, she reminded herself. "I wanted to say thank you for letting me come, so I brought you a box of Yuzu's homemade white-chocolate-macadamia-nut cookies."

"I am honored," he answered, gesturing to take the box from her.

"Go on, try one," she offered.

Byakuya could not help himself. The temptation of Kurosaki Yuzu's desserts was too much, even for him. Savoring a chewy, tasty bite, he wondered if the girl had magical talents. "This is indeed a creation of Kurosaki Yuzu," he commented.

"Good, huh?" Karin grinned.

"Fantastic," he answered, surprised at himself for using such a word. Each nibble he took was like a slice of heaven reverberating around his mouth.

Karin beamed. "Yuzu will be happy to hear you liked them. She hopes that you and Kuukaku-san will come again."

Byakuya was marignally annoyed by the impression that he and Kuukaku were somehow romantically involved, but he decided it was better not to comment. "Please inform Yuzu-chan that I send my warmest regards and hope she is well."

Karin was happy that he enjoyed the little gift. Yuzu's cookies could turn even the stiffest of them into soft-hearted chaps. "Sure thing. Tell Kuukaku-san Yuzu says hello."

Byakuya restrained a sigh. "I will."

***

Ise Nanao was ready for bed. The wedding was tomorrow, and she was positive that it was going to be both a logistically complicated and emotionally turbulent day. Although she normally never went to bed so early, she wanted to make sure she was very well rested for tomorrow.

She was just about to lie down to go to sleep when she heard her zanpakutou whining for her attention. Sheesh, can't a girl get some rest? Nanao wondered.

It was on her reading table, next to the book she had borrowed from Yoruichi on the origin of the Four Houses; something which she found very interesting. She had spent the past few days perusing it, curious to see how long it had taken Yoruichi and the other heads of houses to memorize it as they were required. Touching the hilt, she gave her zanpakutou the telepathic equivalent of an eye-roll. What is it now?

_I'm horny._

You have got to be kidding me, Nanao shook her head. She was definitely not in the mood for this. I swear I must have the neediest zanpakutou in the world.

Her tanto chose a carefully worded response. The last time they had gotten some nighttime company, both of them ended up feeling pretty disgusted with themselves. _Well, your bed has been lonely for a while._

Nanao sighed. I know. But I'm a vice captain now. It's a lot different from when we grew up in the barracks.

_Okay, but I'm still horny._

What a one-track mind, Nanao thought. You're worse than the captain sometimes. And he had a pair of female zanpakutou - Nanao could only wonder how wierd that must have been. Actually, on second thought, knowing Kyoraku, that wasn't so wierd.

_Puh-lee-ee-eeze!_ the teenager whined.

Nanao shook her head in utter disbelief. You make me feel so infantile sometimes, you know that?

_Sissssssss-terrrrrr-rrr-rr, please pretty please please please please please! Nymphomaniac, what's taking so long? __C'mo-o-on-on-on!_

Although she had never yet done this, it was events like these that made Nanao want to run over to Rukia's manor and ask if her friend could babysit her blade for the night. Nanao was positive that Sode no Shirayuki never drove Rukia this crazy. Unfortunately for Nanao, her own zanpakutou would throw tantrums at least once a week. At the very least, she was just thankful that this time, it wasn't complaining about being hungry. This, at the very least, she could deal with.

Nanao wasn't sure if it was strictly an attention thing, or if it did this as payback. Her zanpakutou was notoriously secretive, and wouldn't cough up even one iota of a hint about what the full extent of its powers might be, especially considering how worthless her shikai was most of the time. Although Nanao had put her bankai training on hiatus, she had been fighting hard against her zanpakutou before she got involved in the wedding plans, and the relationship between Nanao and her tanto had been very tense back then. Since Nanao had backed off, though, her zanpakutou had become an unusually immature, self-centered, gluttonous, sassy, needy, _pain-in-the-ass_ adolescent crybaby. Nanao was pretty sure that her zanpakutou did this because it got even less attention than usual, but she wouldn't be surprised if this was its own little way to get revenge. After all, it was just as vindictive as she was.

_Sissss-terr-rrr! Since when did you become such a pru-u-ude!?!?_

Normally by now, Nanao would have just ignored her whiny weapon and gone to sleep. But after contemplating the situation and thinking about how tomorrow was likely going to be a brutally rough day for both of them, she decided to humor her teenage dagger. Even more than that, Nanao decided she deserved some extra-nice treatment today.

Putting on her glasses and going into the kitchen, Nanao opened up the drawer by the sink and pulled out a heavy oilcloth. Sitting down at her kitchen table, she unsheathed her golden tanto and began to polish the exposed end of the hilt. After a minute or two, she started to clean the underside of the crossguard, moving from the outside in towards the top of the hilt. About five minutes later, Nanao began cleaning the outside rim of the rectangular crossguard, careful not to rip the oilcloth on the corners.

Nanao hummed her favorite Maria Callas aria, just to keep rhythm, as she slowly worked her way with the oilcloth along the top of the crossguard, careful not to touch the blade. She used her nails through the oilcloth to clean out the crevices in the decorative etchings in the gold, rectangular plate, inspecting carefully to make sure she had gotten all the dirt out.

Seven or eight minutes later, she gently, very carefully used her fingers to start rubbing the blunt back of her blade with the oilcloth. After a minute of that, she started slow, circular polishings against the flat of the blade with only one or two fingers, working her way from the blunt side towards the wickedly razor sharp edge. It had been about five or six minutes until she managed to lightly polish the the whole thing, and then began slow, careful wipes of the oilcloth against the full flat of the blade.

Three minutes afterwards, she began to rapidly burnish the golden tanto, furiously and vigorously polishing it with full strokes up and down both sides of the blade. In ten or so minutes, her arm was sore and her fingers ached, so she stopped and put the tanto down on the kitchen table.

Better? Nanao asked with a smirk.

_OH. MY. GOD._

Nanao laughed out loud. Normally she was never so selfless when it came to self-indulgence, so her blade received only indirect fulfillment. On top of that, Nanao knew her tanto had been expecting something a bit more expedient.

_Whooooooooooooooaaaaaaaaaaaaa._

Nanao opened up a full-blown mindlink, just so she could poke fun at the black-haired, red-eyed teenage girl sprawled across the floor, panting heavily. Nanao was slightly amused by the fact that the teenager still had all of her clothes on, including the heavy leather jacket she normally wore.

You alright down there? Nanao teased, barely able to contain her laughter.

_Yeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaah,_ the teenager exhaled with a satiated moan. _Woooooooooooow._

Nanao broke the mindlink, satisfied that her zanpakutou would leave her alone for the rest of the night. She had wasted more than half an hour on spoiling that corner of her mind, but it was still plenty early in the evening. The peace and quiet she would get for her endeavors was well worth it.

_You must be in a really good mood,_ her tanto commented, still breathing heavily. _That was awwwffffuuulllyyy nice of you._

It's only fair, Nanao answered nonchalantly, picking up the sheath.

_Huh? Why's that?_

"Because tomorrow," Nanao said aloud as she resheathed her tanto with a proud, sadistic, diabolical grin, "I'm gonna kick your ass from here into next Tuesday."

* * *

_Ah, so **that's** how Ukitake caught tuberculosis.  
_

___**Reviews, please!** C'mon, tell me you thought that last scene with Nanao and her zanpakutou was wildly clever. I bet plenty of you were laughing pretty hard. Although others may think I'm a really sick-minded bastard, but c'mon, you admit it was at least clever. :) Byakuya/Karin scene probably gave you some smiles, too. Also, the Isane/Nanao scene was nice, no? And the flashback? C'mon, tell me everything - give me more than a one-line review, this chapter is 5000+ words! There's a lot to comment on! I made it extra-long, just for you! C'mon, no skimping. :)_

___Next chapter: Everybody prepares for the big day! Be on the lookout for your favorite character. We're almost at the wedding! I CAN'T WAIT!_

___

* * *

_

~~Crossover Cup!~~

Today's special guest: ___Tsubaki Nakatsukasa_, from Soul Eater!

_Nathan: _Welcome to the program, Tsubaki-chan! How does it feel to be a super-cool demon weapon?

_Tsubaki: _Thanks for having me! Maka-chan said she had so much fun when she was here.

_Kyoraku (interjecting out of nowhere): _Ne, Tsubaki-chan, maybe you want to come over to my place and I can polish your blade, eh?

_Tsubaki: (Throws shuriken in between Kyoraku's eyes) _

_Black Star (heard offstage): _Dude, she'll only let you see her naked if you sneak up on her.

_Nathan (a bit sheepish that this has devolved into something so insulting to his guest): _Um, sorry about that, Tsubaki-chan.

_Tsubaki: _That's okay! I'm used to it by now.

_Nanao (barging in): _Is Kyoraku Taicho around here? I had a feeling he was getting into trouble.

_Tsubaki: _What's Yumi Azusa-sama doing here?

_Nanao: _Huh?

_Nathan: _Nevermind, Nanao. I'll introduce you in a Crossover Cup sometime.

_Nanao (dragging Kyoraku offstage):_ Whatever. Thanks. I gotta go make this loser sign some forms.

_Tsubaki: _Hmm. I wonder of Yumi-sama is Nanao's zanpakutou.

_Nathan: _Interesting theory, but no; sorry.

_Tsubaki: _Who was that guy in pink, anyway?

_Nathan: _Um, I would just forget about it if I were you.

_Kon (interjecting out of nowhere): _Tsubaki-neechan! Let me polish your every curve!

_Tsubaki: (Throws shuriken in between Kon's eyes) _

_Nathan: _I'm really sorry about this, Tsubaki-chan.

_Tsubaki: _No problem!

_Nathan: _Wow, you really are easygoing, aren't you.

_Tsubaki: _Have you met my meister...?

_Nathan: _True, true.


	34. Preparations, Preening, and Pride

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Bleach.

_Ugh, just saw episode 264. I hate the way the anime fillers portray Nanao. She's a vice captain, for heaven's sake. Sigh.  
But I did just see chapter 398 - friggin' awesome. That was some sweet IchiRuki support. :) _

_Anyway, longest chapter so far - 8000+ words. Enjoy!  
If you don't know what's so special about Rukia's badge, then I know you haven't yet read "Save This For Kuchiki".  
For those of you that care, the conversation between Isshin and Byakuya was back in Chapter 20.  
Also, I've taken liberty with some zanpakutou personalities here. Although the anime portrays most of them, I am only following canonical manga, which gives me room for interpretation. -njx_

* * *

After a day of last-minute adjustments, explanations, lessons, and other arcane knowledge being crammed into everybody's heads, it was time for the big day. Karin, Orihime, Momo and Nanao were all getting ready. Ichihime had just finished dying Rukia's white shock of unruly bangs a deep scarlet red.

Rukia was furious with her and really wanted her to just revert them back to their usual black, but when Rukia looked in the mirror, she instantly fell in love with it. She had no idea why, but for some reason it just felt right. Perhaps it would be the shock value she would see on Ichigo's face. Then it finally hit her. "Hey! You planned this, didn't you!"

Ichihime started laughing. "Took you long enough to figure it out, didn't you, Lieutenant Shorty."

She chuckled. "You know, 'Rukia' works just fine."

"Sure thing, _Lieutenant Shorty_," she teased. "I'll see you later. I gotta get dressed myself."

"See you later, _Pottymouth-fukutaicho-sama-dono._" Rukia could feel Ichihime cringe at the 'sama-dono'. Heh heh, she thought. She hates it even more than I do.

Rukia came out of the bathroom, ready for Momo and Nanao to help put on her kimono and obi. Karin snickered as she came out in her 'special undies'. _Matsumoto, I am going to kill you all over again,_ Rukia muttered to herself.

In the meanwhile, Orihime helped Karin change into her bridesmaid kimono. Karin had never worn a kimono before, but was impressed with the quality of the fabric. The color was a rich, cherry-blossom pink, and the hems of the obi were a dark rose color that was very eye-catching. The simple hakama were lightweight and cut right after the knees, so as they would not be seen under the longish kimono. Old-fashioned mahogany clogs completed the ensemble.

A Four Houses wedding had very strict rules about the colors that people were allowed to wear. The bride wore red, and she had to have four bridesmaids who wore pink. The groom had to wear blue, and needed to choose four groomsmen who would wear green. The four Heads of House, who needed to officiate the wedding, all wore yellow. Servants and attendants who were working the wedding had to wear brown, security had to wear black, and all other guests were allowed to wear only white. The idea was to make the bridal party stand out.

The only exception to these rules was the Crowngifter. The Crowngifter was the one who bequeathed the Four Posts to the bride, and would wear a special purple silk scarf. The scarf was more than thousands of years old and was considered one of the shared treasures of the Four Houses. The last one to wear it was Yoruichi's father, Shihoin Tamanaka, who had bequeathed the Four Posts to his daughter Yohana for her wedding to Banzo Tanabi; the last time two members of the Four Houses had wed. In fact, Ise Nanao was the first one outside of the Four Houses to wear it in over two millenia, and would be the only Crowngifter in Soul Society history who didn't come from nobility.

Nanao had arrived at Kuchiki manor at 7:30am that morning, already fully dressed. Apparently, she had woken up early to pick up her scarf from Yoruichi at the Shihoin estate. After saying hello to everyone, she had dashed off to discuss some last minute details with Byakuya, but had finally returned to the bridal preparation room as Karin was helping Orihime with her obi.

The bridesmaid kimonos were all designed to match in style and color, but Nanao stood out with her vivid scarf. Rukia noticed that her bookish, subordinate demeanor was completely gone. Nanao was smug, confident, proud, and most definitely in charge. Rukia had always known that Nanao was very highly respected in her division as a no-nonsense lieutenant, but less so amongst the other vice captains. Today, though, Nanao commanded an incredible aura of authority and power. Maybe planning the wedding really was a good thing for her, Rukia thought. She seems so confident in herself. Indeed, Nanao looked positively regal as she undid the clip in her hair and started brushing it out, her dominating air of executive magistrature accented by orchid-shaped silver earrings.

"Nanao-san - you're going to wear your hair down?" Rukia asked, mockingly incredulous. She made a tiny _'oof'_ as Momo struggled to tie the ornate wedding obi. It was incredibly beautiful - the gift from Yoruichi and Soifon was pure splendor bound in cloth - but also heavy and bulky.

"What's the big deal? Hinamori-san isn't wearing her bun, either."

"But she's wearing it in a beautiful braid!" Orihime admired. Indeed, Hinamori had done a gorgeous job with her chocolate brown hair, weaving pink orchids and silver thread into it. She looked amazing. Hinamori had offered to do the same for Orihime, but she refused. Orihime didn't want to steal Momo's attention, and decided that she would put in an updo. She wasn't allowed to use chopsticks - only the bride could - so she instead fastened it with a light pink ribbon wrapped around an ornate knot of her auburn locks. It wasn't as glorious as Hinamori's, but Orihime was happy with it.

"Karin-chan is wearing her hair down."

"Yeah, but I don't have enough to really do anything with it." Karin was wearing her usual style, parted down the center and hanging at the sides. A nearly invisible black clip held it out of her face on the left, and a small pink rose was clipped on the right. Karin liked it - it was attractive and feminine but not overly different than her usual style, which was good. She wanted to be comfortable.

Nanao sighed. "Yeah, well, no one's going to notice my hair."

"Don't say that, Nanao-san!" Rukia chided her. "Every man in the crowd without a date is going to be looking at you, _Crowngifter_," she teased.

Nanao smiled to herself. My hair is the least of it. I'm going in contacts.

***

"WHY DO I HAVE TO WEAR GREEN?" Ishida screamed in frustration. "Can't I just wear white like I always do?" he whined.

"Shut it!" Ichigo yelled back at him. "You're supposed to be honored to wear it, Four-Eyes!"

"But it's _green!_"

_"SHUT UP!"_

***

"Hmmm, okay, Kotetsu-chan, where's your dress?"

Kiyone opened up the closet. Her outfit was hanging up on display. She had paid a fortune for it in the real world, but this was her best chance to change things.

While Jushiro-san had been sick, Kiyone had been too preoccupied to think about things. She had been getting only two hours of sleep a night - sometimes even less. She would stagger out of bed, covered in the blood that he had coughed up all night. There was a clear understanding between them then - which made it easier in some ways. It was easy for her to feel like she was important to him when Kiyone had to change him out of his clothes that were damp with feverish sweat, wash the blood out of his hair and feed him soup and tea. She knew that he loved her for how she took care of him. Loved her like a _daughter._

Now, though, things were different. At first, it was wonderful. She couldn't have been happier. The antibiotics that Kuchiki Taicho had come back from his visit to the real world five weeks ago had been like a miracle. To think that some diseases could be more easily cured by pills instead of kido? At some level, it made sense - real-world diseases could be cured by real-world medicine - but it was still unbelievable. Within three weeks, Jushiro-san was like new. He was lifting weights in the evenings instead of gagging on his own vomit.

Kiyone was beyond grateful for the miracle, but at the same time, things got a lot more fuzzy between them. Jushiro-san was sleeping soundly throughout the night now, so Kiyone no longer had to stay in the nurse's quarters. She knew that if she asked him, he would let her; but besides being a bit invasive, it would look bad. It was one thing for her to be there when it was her professional duty to take care of her captain. It was another thing altogether if he was well. Her subordinates would easily notice that her motivations would now be strictly personal, and she had worked hard to earn their respect all over again. She wasn't about to sacrifice it, no matter how lonely she was in the middle of the night without the routine sounds of his feverish coughing. Unless Jushiro-san wanted to openly invite her to stay with him, it would be wrong to ask him under some sort of pretext.

Jushiro-san still talked to her the way he used to. In privacy, she only called him Ukitake Taicho when the context demanded it. For the most part, he was the same way; calling her Kiyone-chan most of the time. This was the case even when Kuchiki Fukutaicho was present, since she was fully aware of the situation. However, since Jushiro-san's health had returned, there was rarely an occasion that that they were alone together in the same intimate setting. They often ate lunch together in the mess hall, but Jushiro-san would always call over Kotsubaki and Kuchiki to join them. Kiyone understood why - in the mess hall, it was important that the division see that she wasn't short-circuiting the chain of command - but it just meant that she had even fewer opportunities to be alone with him.

That was why Kiyone had been so relieved that Jushiro-san had asked her to accompany him to the wedding. The way he asked was a bit disappointing to her - it certainly didn't sound like he was asking her on a date - but she would take it. Since they wouldn't be at the wedding in any professional capacity, if he wanted her to come with him it meant that he wasn't afraid of being seen together in a social setting. It was the closest thing to a date that she could expect.

Of course, that also meant that she had to make it count. If she was ever going to get anywhere with him, she had to go all out. So when Kiyone had witnessed what Matsumoto did to Kuchiki Fukutaicho at the bridal shower - and honestly, that was quite an accomplishment - she figured it would be good to employ Matsumoto's help.

"Kotetsu-chan," she pouted, looking at the dress. "You know this is going to hurt, right?"

"I... uh... have more to work with than Kuchiki Fukutaicho, though."

Matsumoto looked at her increduously. "No offense, but that's not saying much."

"Hey!"

"Well, I'll do my best. No promises."

Kiyone pulled out a corset. "Will this help?"

Matsumoto's eyes lit up with a devilish grin. "_Nooow_ we're talking. You didn't mention you had one of _those_."

Kiyone took off her bathrobe so Matsumoto could lace her up. Kiyone was embarrassed about parading around mostly naked, but if she was going to be bashful it would defeat the purpose of the dress. She might as well get rid of her shyness now.

"What's Isane wearing to the wedding?" Matsumoto asked as she positioned the corset. Rangiku knew a thing or two about them, so she knew that Kiyone had bought a good one. It had a zipper so that it could be fastened before the laces were pulled, and the material was soft and comfortable. Kiyone really means business, she figured.

"Something boring - a pants-suit over a lame blouse. I told Isane-neechan that she's never gonna get a date if she doesn't spice it up a bit, but she's too shy."

"Eh, that's alright. I'm sure she'll be fine."

Kiyone sighed as Matsumoto began pulling the lower laces taught. Kiyone was satisified with her own athletic build - it reflected the fact that Kiyone had spent a lot of time in combat; but she had always been a bit envious of her older sister. Isane had such a fantastic figure - tall, lithe, busty (although she deliberately hid this fact). Even though Isane was slender, she somehow had curvy hips. It was like she got everything.

"Ready, Kotetsu-chan? Take a deep breath," Matsumoto warned before yanking on the lace just below her bustline.

_OOOMPH,_ Kiyone mentally muttered. The things we do for men. Sheesh.

***

"I still can't believe we have to sing." Renji griped.

"What's the matter, Abarai Taicho?" Ganju teased. "You got a problem with our ancient customs?"

Renji laughed. "No, but I assure you, you'll hate 'em just as much when you're forced to listen to me."

***

Kira Izuru stood in front of the mirror. His own reflection disgusted him. I need a change, he thought. I can't bear to look at myself anymore.

He took a pair of scissors from his drawer. Decisively, he sheared off the blond bangs that he had taken so many years to grow. Looking at himself clearly with both eyes, he began combing the rest of his hair, parting it down the sides like he used to wear in Shinou Academy. He trimmed the ends and then combed his hair again, this time simply preening.

Izuru felt a burden lift off his shoulders. Somehow, the simple symbolic action of returning to an old look made him feel like he was restored to his old self. The one that would never lift a blade to Hinamori.

The scowl on his face faded into a smile, and his hope returned. He fidgeted with his kimono and obi out of nervousness, turning his back to look at the Kira family crest that had been embroidered on the shoulder blade. Satisfied both with his appearance and a reacquaintence with his soul, he left his private quarters for the wedding.

***

She looked through her closet. Black, black, black.... black. Soifon swore in frustration. Damnit, the Omnitsukido sure have a bland wardrobe.

***

Sasakibe was leaving his vest and gloves in his closet. Wedding customs required that as security, he only wear black. He didn't mind, but the thought of having to put up with that doofus Omaeda for an entire day aggravated him. The other vice captain in the security detail, 7th Division Lieutenant Iba, was not much of an improvement.

At least Yamamato-dono would be assisting on the security team. Otherwise, I think I'd go crazy.

***

Tears streamed down her face as Ichihime changed her earrings. Her white dress looked nice, but she didn't care. She had always wanted to wear the red one.

***

Kuchiki Byakuya put on the yellow kimono he had inherited from Jii-sama. He didn't care for the color, but he was happy to have this occasion to wear it.

***

Banzo Tanabi put on the yellow kimono he had inherited from Otousama. He loved the color, but he was angry that the occasion wasn't his own daughter's wedding.

***

Ugh, I look like I'm twelve.

Hitsugaya considered running a comb through his hair but decided it probably wouldn't make a difference. He smoothed out his white kimono and knocked on the door to his vice captain's office. She had returned from Kotetsu's about an hour ago, but still hadn't come out.

She's going to take forever, he swore under his breath.

He huffed to himself and leaned against the doorframe. "Matsumoto, we're going to be la--"

The door opened suddenly and her massive bosom bumped him in the head, knocking him on his butt. _Damnit,_ she does that on purpose, he muttered silently.

"Taicho, what are you doing on the floor?"

He struggled to contain his rage and stood up. To his surprise, his vice captain was actually wearing something decent. It was a form-fitting, one-piece sleevless dress that flaired out just above her knees, and she was wearing white heels to match. Her hair had been tied back with a white ribbon, and she was wearing pearl earrings. The thing that honestly surprised him, though, was that the dress had an extremely high neckline - it even covered her collarbone. It was a very flattering ensemble, but completely unlike her. Hitsugaya raised his eyebrow suspiciously, wondering who had killed his lieutenant and substituted her with a clone.

"What is it, Taicho? You don't like the dress?"

"I do," he quickly added, not wanting to discourage her. "It's... tasteful."

"Psh, Taicho. Just because I have it doesn't mean I have to flaunt it."

Hitsugaya's brain exploded. I think Hell just froze over, he thought.

***

"Ken-chan, you can't go like that!"

"Why not?"

_"You have to wear pants!"_

"But I only have black pants!"

Yachiru made her angry pink cat face.

"Alright, alright, I'll go get something."

***

Hisagi rammed his sword through the hollow's mask. Damnit, I'm gonna be late.

***

Ikkaku looked at his partner. "Don't you think you're a bit overdressed?"

Yumichika eyed his bald friend's plain white jeans and white t-shirt. It looked good on him. He had finished the look with a set of old-fashioned ashwood clogs. "It's a wedding! We have to look beautiful!" Yumichika answered cheerily as he adjusted his white tie and buttoned his beaming white tuxedo jacket.

"The top hat is a bit much, don't you think?"

"Oh, honey, you never know anything about fashion, do you?"

"Don't call me that," Ikkaku grumbled. "Someone in the 11th might hear you, and then I'll never hear the end of it."

"Hey, you earned 'Twinkletoes' all by yourself, Ikkaku. Don't blame me for doing your lucky dance in front of them."

***

Omaeda lugged in the gigais through the main hall. He had no idea why the security team was supposed to have gigais handy - although he supposed it made sense if any of the guests were going to the real world after the wedding. He did know that Kuchiki Fukutaicho would be going to the real world the next morning, but why they were needed in Kodachi Hall was beyond his best guess. He assumed that the bride and groom would go back to Kuchiki Manor after the wedding, but whatever; he didn't really care where the hell they went.

Peering over at the buffet table, he could see all kinds of delicacies. He was sure he could grab just one and no one would notice. Putting down the box of gigais, he tiptoed over to the table before a voice interrupted him.

"Shirking our responsibilities, are we?"

Omaeda turned around with a very quick salute. "Of course not, Soutaicho-dono! Just looking!" he answered nervously.

"I'm sure," Yamamoto grumbled. How Soifon puts up with him, I have no idea.

***

Isane adjusted her blouse and admired herself. She was going to be a bit daring today.

Normally, she was so embarrassed by her top-heavy figure that she kept her bust tightly wrapped, but she had bought a new outfit for the wedding and it didn't really seem to be tailored that way. Deciding to be brave, she threw caution to the wind and allowed herself to go out in her natural figure.

Her longtime friend Nanao would probably tease her about it. It had been a gag between the two of them for over thirty years: Isane had it and didn't want it; Nanao wanted it and didn't have it. Isane would tease her back that Nanao seemed to have plenty of men chasing after her just the way she was.

Isane had seen the bright white pants-suit in a magazine that Matsumoto had brought back from the real world. Of course, in the advertisement, the model wasn't wearing anything underneath the one-button jacket, but Isane had remedied that with a nice, classy, business-like white collared blouse. White flats accompanied the outfit, and she felt very dignified when she looked in the mirror.

While Isane knew she would likely be the only woman wearing such a western outfit to the wedding, she was happy with it. It fit her quirky style. It was modest and didn't really draw any attention to her, but was formal enough so that she wouldn't be underdressed. Besides, there was just something wonderful about having the freedom of movement associated with comfortable pants. And on the subject of comfort, she had to admit that it felt good for her chest not to be so constrained. So Isane was really thrilled with her outfit, and if no one else liked it, oh well, _she_ did; and that's what mattered.

Itegumo, be good while I'm out, okay?

_Mm-hmm! You look good, by the way._

Thanks!

_Say hi to Unohana Taicho for me. Don't forget to keep an eye on your sister. _

Like I'd forget, she groaned.

Before leaving, she said a silent prayer for Kiyone. Isane begged any deity that would listen to promise her that Kiyone wouldn't embarrass them. As an afterthought, she also prayed to said listening deity to let her have a nice time at the wedding. She was sure she would spend most of it tagging along with Unohana Taicho, but Isane was sure that even so, she could have fun.

Hmmm, she reflected as she headed over to her captain's office. I wonder if they'll have any porridge at the wedding?

***

Komamura had just finished tying his new obi over his white yukata, a tear in his eye forming as he looked at himself in the mirror. Rukia-dono had given it to him as a gift to wear at the wedding, and he was tremendously honored to have it. Unlike most men's obi, this one was exceptionally wide; and large letters were embroidered on it in a rich black that read '7th Division Captain Komamura Saijin, Zanjutsu-Sensei'.

He was even considering wearing it from now on, over his shinigami shihakusho and underneath his haori in place of the standard-issue sash. He was very proud. Komamura had never been comfortable around women, and he found it a personal accomplishment that he had forged such a powerful impression on his student, one so strong that she felt obligated to honor him when the day was supposed to be all about her. Rukia-dono's selfless act gave him hope; it was a reaffirmation that there were still good souls in a world that had presented so much darkness.

Saijin donned his gloves and surveyed himself in the mirror. He had spent an unusual amount of time grooming today, and was pleased to see that despite his hideous face, he at least looked crisp and put together. For a moment, he even thought of himself as a man, although it was only for a fleeting moment.

He leaned over to blow out the candle, but couldn't find himself able to extinguish it just yet. He paused to gaze into its flame, the flickering light soothing him for a moment. Komamura Saijin was a great believer in finding one's inner peace, and in his solitude, he took comfort in the small moments of quiet that captured his attention.

Feeling centered, he finally blew out the candle and departed for the wedding hall.

***

Sado Yasutora stood waiting for them to make some last minute adjustments to his pine-colored outfit. He was surprised how comfortable it was - the loose pants and shirt were made out of some microfiber material. Personally, he thought of it more like a bathrobe with sweatpants than a fancy outfit, although he admitted that the rich green color was attractive. He didn't know what the tailors were looking for - everything seemed okay to him - but he wasn't one to make a fuss.

"You okay there, Chad?" Ichigo teased, having twice as many tailors make last minute adjustments to his blazing-blue kimono.

He nodded. "You ready for this, Ichigo?"

Ichigo knew that when Chad spoke, his words were layered with meaning. "I've been ready since I tossed Rukia like a football," he smiled. Chad remembered that scene with a grin, when Icihgo had tossed her to Renji after saving her from the Soukyoku.

"I made you a promise, you know. I guess that means I have to protect her, now, too."

"Tch," Ichigo smirked. "You made that promise to yourself ages ago. Just like we all did when we first came here."

True, he thought, and went back to being quiet.

***

Yamada Hanataro surveyed himself once more. He didn't have money for a white kimono, so he was wearing a white yukata instead. It wasn't anything special or fancy, but it was clean and new and fresh; so he thought it wasn't so bad. He had taken extra time to play with his hair, putting all kinds of gunk in it so that it would at least stay out of his eyes.

He put his hand on his zanpakutou, Hisagomaru. Hanataro knew he wouldn't be able to bring it with him, so he wanted to talk to it before he left for the wedding. His dad had always told him that it was good to talk to your sword whenever you could.

Hi.

_You can do this, buddy! I know you can!_

Hanataro smiled. He really liked his sword, even though he didn't carry it around so often. Perhaps that was why it was so nice to him - his sword liked the attention. You think so?

_Absolutely, buddy! You can do this!_

Thanks, he said telepathically, and headed out the door of the 4th division barracks.

***

Kyoraku Shunsui knocked on the door to Ukitake's room in the 13th division's captain's pavillion. "Juu? You wanna come with me?"

Ukitake opened the door and then went to go wash his hands. His hair and been pulled back and tied with a light gray ribbon, and he was wearing a western-style button-down shirt under his haori, with white hakama and leather sandals. It was a slightly mismatched look, but he wore it well. "What are you doing here? I thought you were taking Ise-san?"

Kyoraku grumbled. "Ne, Nanao-chan wouldn't come with me. She's a bridesmaid, you know. Says she has to help the bride get ready and all. I guess it makes sense. But I think it's a conspiracy - an excuse so that she doesn't have to come with me."

Ukitake laughed. "I'm sure she's just busy. I hear from Kuchiki that she's the Crowngifter."

His long-time friend frowned. "Yeah, I know. I'm going to have wade through an army of noble snobs to get to her."

Ukitake finished washing his face and came out of his small side room to put a hand on his shoulder. "Well, I'd love to go with you, but I have to go pick up Kotetsu-san."

"_'Kotetsu-san'_? You must be referring to Isane Fukutaicho," Shunsui suggested slyly. "Or do you mean _'Kiyone-chan'_?"

Jushiro glared at him, although he was bad at glaring. Especially at Shunsui. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Poor girl is confused, Juu. She doesn't know what to do with you now that you're better. Taking her out on a date is gonna confuse her even more."

Ukitake got defensive. "I'm not sending mixed messsages, if that's what you're implying."

"She's not your kid," his friend explained. "I know you practically feel like her father, but you can't dance around the fact that she wants more than that."

Jushiro sighed. Shunsui could be so oblivious to his own hypocrisy sometimes. "I don't feel like her father," he answered sincerely, even a bit sternly. "And I'm not dancing around it."

"No, you're just ignoring it."

"And you're any better with Ise-san?"

Shunsui looked mockingly offended. "I don't ignore her!"

Jushiro laughed at him. "No, you just ignore the fact that she would sooner call you 'Papa' then 'Darling'."

"Okay, but I'm hopeless. You, on the other hand, have a real decision to make. C'mon, Juu, tell me the truth here. What do you want from her?"

Ukitake hesitated. "I-- I'm not sure." He took a deep breath. "Unohana-san asked me to accompany her to the wedding."

"Really? I always thought Retsu-san had it for ol' Yama-jii?"

"Where in the world did you get _that_ idea from?" Ukitake said, unable to contain his laughter at the ridiculous notion. Unohana Retsu was _old_ - even older than the two of them - but not _that_ old.

"Never mind," Kyoraku shrugged. "So you told Retsu-chan no? I hope she didn't get angry with you."

"No, she didn't mind."

"You know that you never answered my question."

Jushiro teased his perceptive friend. "That's a nice outfit you're wearing. I never knew that they made white shinigami uniforms. And I'm glad you left the hat at home, it's a much classier look for people to see your eyes, Shunsui-kun."

"Juu," Shunsui pressed him.

"I told Unohana-san 'no' because I can't do it, Shunsui. I just can't see myself pushing Kiyone-chan aside like that. She's been with me through good and bad since the end of the Winter War. No matter how confused I am, I know that I owe it to her to sort it out."

"But you can't leave the poor girl dangling."

Ukitake sighed. It was times like this that he wished he still coughed enough that people left him alone. "I know. I'll figure it out."

Shunsui clapped him on his back. "Yeah, well, don't keep the poor girl waiting."

"Yeah," he agreed, and headed for the door to the pavillion.

"Hey Juu," Shunsui called one last time.

"Hm?"

"You look pretty nice there for a guy who seems so confused."

Jushiro chuckled. He could see why Ise-san found her captain so annoying.

***

Urahara Kisuke was admiring Yoruichi in her traditional yellow kimono, the kind where the sleeves went way past the hands. It was so rare that she got dressed up; it was a real treat. Of course, then he began to think about what she was wearing _underneath_ the kimono.

"Kisuke," she rebuked him, smacking him upside the head. "Now's not the time."

"Ow," he whined, rubbing his head. How was it that she could read his mind all the time?

***

Kotsubaki was frustrated. He never had to figure out these stupid buttons before. Damn western shirts, he figured. How are you supposed to do the wrist buttons with one hand?

Man, I need a girlfriend. They know how to do all this stuff.

***

Iba Tetsuzaemon stood watch outside the hall, scanning for weapons. Only captain-rank shinigami were allowed to bring zanpakutou; and most of them had not bothered. Not that they couldn't obliterate an opponent with kido, but orders were orders.

***

Tori looked at the brown kimono that was hanging in her closet one last time before closing the doors, eternally grateful to her charge. Tori had lived a long time - that brown kimono was the one she wore to the wedding of Kuchiki Ginrei to Shihoin Kaori, Yoruichi-dono's aunt, over six hundred years ago. She still remembered how she had the greatest servant's honor - to serve as the waiter for the bride and groom themselves.

Tonight, though, she had newfound respect for the Kuchiki family, which was hard because she already held them in the highest esteem. When Rukia-sama had handed her an invitation, Tori hesitated to come as a guest. It was not her place - but when Byakuya-sama had found out that she had not immediately agreed, he practically ordered her to accept it by personally handing her the invitation himself. One did not refuse something from Byakuya-sama, no matter how outrageous it was.

So she looked down at her simple yukata. It was not fancy, nor luxurious; nor was it new. It was stained in a few places, although nothing particularly prominent. It was acceptable attire, and at the very least, it fit her old bones well.

Yet in all her years, she never thought she would ever white to a wedding. Tonight, she would dine with nobility instead of serving them. To a simple woman like her, there was no greater honor, no greater compliment, and no greater gift.

***

Kuukaku was brushing her hair, thinking about how she had never officiated at a wedding before. The last one she had even attended, Kaien's marriage to Miyako, had been a very, very tense affair. Twenty years later, the scandal that Isshashine-niisan had left behind made it very hard for the House of Shiba amongst other nobility. If Kaien hadn't met Miyako through the 13th Division before the scandal and gotten married so young, there was likely no way that he ever would have gotten married. Kuukaku always thanked Fate for the way things had worked out.

Kuukaku thought warmly of her late brother and sister-in-law. They had been her bedrock, her foundation. Kuukaku was sure she would have lost her mind to depression if they hadn't helped her figure out how to adjust to life without an arm. Miyako had been so caring, so gentle, so patient with her emotional turbulence; and Kaien had helped her with her physical therapy, promising that she would be just as skilled with a sword as she had been before. It had been a painstakingly slow recovery, but she did it with their care and guidance.

She had learned a lot about herself back then. Learned that pain and hardship can either kill you; or that it can make you stronger, tougher, more resilient. That love always conquered hate, and as cliche as that sounded, it was the truth. Kuukaku learned that axiom the hard way - that forcing yourself to move forward with a positive outlook on life was infinitely better than falling backwards in self-pity.

Kaien and Miyako selflessly taught her that lesson. And to Kuukaku, the best way to honor them would be to do the same for a prince in need of the same care.

But first, she had to marry off her nephew. Brother? Whatever. She took one last look in the mirror, and satisfied with her role in destiny for today, went off to find the groom's party for pictures.

***

Rukia looked at herself in the mirror. Even she had to admit to herself that she looked more beautiful than she ever could have imagined. Her friends and sister-in-law-to-be all looked gorgeous, but not even they could rival her today. She took a few moments to survey herself, emotionally devoured in happiness as she contemplated each of the gifts she had received. The earrings, the bangle, the choker, the shoes; they were all beautiful, thoughtful gifts. The brooch, which she now knew had once belonged to Shiba Miyako, was breathtaking; and Rukia could not help but feel like it was the perfect compliment to her badge, tied with Momo's ribbon. Rukia felt somehow that Fate itself had wanted the inheritances of Kaien-dono and Miyako-dono to be at the wedding, together on the bride.

Her obi was magnificent; her kimono was glory incarnate. As Rukia gazed at herself, she felt as though Hisana-neesama had embraced her; holding her and whispering her blessings and good tidings. It touched Rukia's heart to realize that Hisana, who had looked so much like her when she was alive, probably looked just as beautiful on her own wedding day.

Reaching down, she pulled up the wooden hip charm, running her fingers over the carved crest of the Kuchiki House. Ichihime's present, out of all the gifts, was the most unusual; but it was also precious in its own way. Rukia could not ever have imagined, growing up in the Rukongai, that she would be married in quite possibly the grandest wedding in all of Soul Society history. The memory of her childhood, its hardship and difficulty but also its triumphant friendship and savvy street pride, inspired her. Today will be the beginning of a new era for the history of Inazuri, she thought, and Rukia was immensely proud to bear its legacy on her wedding day.

But what she admired the most at that moment, perhaps more than she should have but she didn't care, were the beautiful plumwood chopsticks in her hair; their golden ends bearing her name. The Four Posts. _Nothing_ could have rivaled their majesty, at least to Rukia. Nanao probably spent a whole month's salary on them, but that was the least touching thing about it. Rukia could not explain it, but Nanao's friendship mattered an incredible amount to her. Next to Ichigo, Karin, Yuzu, and Nii-sama, Nanao had become one of the most important people in her life; like an older sister who looked out for her and who needed her in turn. Rukia was positive she would have been completely lost and overwhelmed without Nanao to help guide her through everything.

They told each other things they probably shouldn't, they laughed about things that were normally too embarrassing to even mention, and they were solemn together when all they needed were each other's company. Which was often, considering the stress they had both been under. Planning a wedding as big as this is hard in eight months; trying to do it in eight weeks should have been impossible. Yet Nanao did it, and she deserved every last speck of honor and splendor that she had today. It made Rukia really happy to see Nanao so content.

Had Rukia received her Four Posts from Nii-sama, she would have been grateful; but it would have been expected. For Nanao to have gone through all that trouble, just for her, had been the ultimate demonstration of mutual care and devotion. Rukia could only imagine how hard it must have been for Nanao to work through the political implications, especially given her lack of distinguished lineage. Rukia didn't care one dime, but she knew many noble families were fiercely protective of their bloodlines. Nanao's chopsticks in her hair were more than just chopsticks - they were a historical landmark. Rukia had no idea how she could ever return the favor, but she hoped she could some day.

"C'mon, Ruki-nee. It's time for the bridal party to assemble for pictures."

Karin-chan looks so grown up. To think my tomboy sister could appear so beautifully feminine, she thought. But then Rukia felt sadness creep in to her revelry.

Karin must have noticed, because she gave Rukia a kiss on the cheek - something she never did - and whispered in her ear. "Yuzu misses you, too."

Rukia smiled and let Karin escort her to where the others were waiting, her sorrow lingering only until she promised herself that she would make it up to her younger sister somehow.

***

Ukitake fidgeted, smoothing out his hakama for no reason other than anxiety. Shunsui's really gotten me all worked up, he thought. I would be totally fine right now if I just came here without talking to him first.

He knocked on the door, not really ready but oddly impulsive nonetheless. "Kiyone-chan?"

"One minute!" he heard her call.

A pit was forming in his stomach as he waited. Why was he nervous? It made no sense. Kiyone was his subordinate officer for over seventy years. She had seen him in his absolute worst moments, and was fiercely loyal to him. There was nothing he had to be embarassed of in front of her.

Fear, he thought. I'm afraid. Afraid that I'll break her heart. Afraid that because of how I feel about her, I'll fall out of love for her. Afraid that if I do, that I'll never be able to forgive myself. Afraid of the truth: that certain lines had been crossed, and things could not remain the way they were forever.

Lost in thought, he was awakened from his distractions when the door opened, and his third seat stepped out into the light of the late morning sun.

Ukitake Jushiro was an educated man with a strong command of multiple languages. However, at that moment, he felt fairly ill-equipped. All of the words that came to his mind - beautiful, breathtaking, stunning, dazzling, attractive, impressive - none of them really had the right connotation that he was looking for.

His eyes were immediately drawn downwards as they traced down from her lips, to her jawbone and neck, and then to her breasts. It was really clear to Jushiro that she had intended for his eyes to make this particular journey. Kiyone's dress was cut square at the top, and although it was not cut particularly wide, the line across was low enough to reveal a bulging curvature that he had not noticed before. Jushiro was definitely surprised. Her bust was a lot more prominent than he would have expected. In fact, if it wasn't for the fact that her chest looked so tightly squeezed into place, he was positive that if she bent over everything would have spilled out.

Kiyone's dress was made of a stretchy, pearl-colored fabric that was textured with gray and silver weavings. It was devilishly stylish and clung to her hips and bottom in a very provocative way. A wide, white leather belt with a large silver buckle was bound tightly around her petite waist, and it revealed an appealing curve in her figure that he never knew existed. The dress was straight-cut down to her shapely calves, but there was a high slit up her right side that showed a _lot_ of leg - and some hip, too.

Now Ukitake had been ill for a long time, so he really didn't know anything about women's underwear. He only assumed, for all intents and purposes, that style had not changed so drastically over the many years and that they continued to be vaguely similar in overall construction to men's briefs. It was because of this faulty assumption that his overactive imagination began believing that her exposed hip implied that Kiyone wasn't wearing anything underneath at all. While this wasn't true, he didn't know any better; and it spurred many things in his mind that should not everbe written down. Suffice it to say, Ukitake gulped. Audibly, in fact.

Long white gloves that went past her elbows provided a sense of formality and elegance, leaving her toned upper arms and shoulders exposed. Crystal earrings gleamed in the sunlight, and she was wearing makeup. It was well done, but most noticeable was her lipstick: it was a silverish color that matched the textured tone of her dress, and it was _very_ evocative. Silver eyeshadow brought further attention to her vixenish lips, and Jushiro's heart began to thump. Kiyone's hair was styled to resemble her usual look but still had a more spunky aura to it; as though she had trimmed it in a few places here and there to accent her face. A white purse and ivory, open-toed, high-heel sandals complimented the ensemble.

His mind threw a bunch more words at him. Ones like 'hot', 'sexy', 'steamy', 'enticing', and 'voluptuous' had the right connotation, but they didn't really feel like the ones he was looking for either. After all, they were going to a wedding. Such thoughts were not appropriate for someone in formal wear. On the other hand, he had to admit it - if she was going for the blond bombshell look, she hit it out of the ballpark. Hell, she hit it into the freakin' _stratosphere._

"Sorry to keep you waiting, Jushiro-san." The words were innocent, but the tone was anything but.

He swallowed (_again_), and immediately thought about bonsai trees and mah-jong. Anything so as not to let her see him sweat at the innuendo. "N-n-no, not a problem at all."

She wrapped her arm around his with a smile and a twinkle in her eye. The expression could have killed a lesser man's willpower. "Are you ready?"

"Hai, Kotetsu-san," he lied. He was pretty sure nothing could have made him ready for this. "Let's go."

She was not upset that he didn't call her Kiyone-chan this time.

* * *

_Reviews, please! C'mon, this chapter is huge. **You have to at least tell me your top three favorite parts.** I wanna see some reviews -  
I can hold the next chapter hostage, you know!!! (heh heh heh)_

_Next chapter: The wedding ceremony! Hurray!_

_

* * *

_

~~Crossover Cup!~~

Today's special guest: _Maes Hughes,_ from Full Metal Alchemist!

_MH:_ I'm so excited! I love weddings!

_Nathan:_ But, uh, you're not invited.

_MH (completely ignoring Nathan's comment): _Did I ever show you my wedding pictures of my wonderful, beautfiul, amazing wife? And pictures of my daughter Elicia?

_Nathan: _Uh, no, but---

_MH: _You must simply fawn over them! See, here!

_Nathan (buried under an avalanche of pictures): _Er, very nice, they're, uh, lovely.


	35. Forever Husband and Wife

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Bleach.

_Thanks for all the love, guys! I really appreciate the reviews. _

_**Note:** There is a reference to the tale of the Origins of the Four Houses in this chapter. For those of you who don't know by now, that is a reference to chapter 14 in the prequel to this story, "Save Me, Kuchiki." __-njx_

* * *

Weddings between two members of the Four Houses are fairly common, as far as Soul Society history was concerned. The customs and ceremony were established and had become immutable more than several centuries ago, and this wedding was no exception.

Ichigo, as usual, had a hard time restraining himself. "Auntie K," he started, "I get the whole Four Posts, Four Heads of Houses, Four Groomsmen, Four Bridesmaids - I get it, I get it. Four is the magic number. But I can only say four sentences of four words each? How the hell am I supposed to make a real wedding vow out of that?"

Kuukaku whacked him on the head with her wooden fan, although restrained herself enough that she wouldn't leave a mark. "You mean you don't know what you're saying yet?!"

"No! I mean, _yes,_ I know what I'm saying," he explained. "I just can't believe I'm only allowed sixteen words."

"What's a matter, Kurosaki, your vocabulary doesn't reach that far?" Ishida taunted.

"Ha ha, very funny."

The groom's party had just finished with the photographer, and the guests were beginning to settle down for the ceremony.

"You nervous, Ichigo?" Renji asked him.

"A little," he admitted seriously.

"A _little_?" Renji teased.

"Okay, maybe a lot," he confessed. "I mean, what's going to happen after this is all over? Is Rukia going to have to watch me grow old and die while she stays young forever?"

Renji was surprised. "_That's_ what you're nervous about?"

"What the hell else would I be nervous about?"

"Um, about getting _married_?"

"Why would I be nervous about _that_?"

Renji shook his head. Ichigo sure did jump headfirst into things. "So you're not at all nervous about getting tied down to someone from a completely different _dimension_?"

Ichigo hesitated for a minute. "Well, of course I've thought about it. But I have to make it work, Renji. If my dad could figure it out, I'm sure I'll find a way. I know I haven't figured out all the details yet, but I will - I _have_ to. Rukia is the most important person I've ever met in my entire life."

"All sixteen years of it," Renji mocked.

"Very funny, old geezer. You're like, what, ten times as old as I am? And you _still_ can't get a woman to fall for you?" Ichigo snarked.

Renji scowled at him, but let it go; deciding it was more important to address his friend's worry. "I don't know, Ichigo. But I'll tell you this: it doesn't matter now, right? I mean, not that I speak from experience here, but marrying someone doesn't mean there won't be problems. It'll still be hard; I'm sure there will be plenty of challenges. But getting married just means you have Rukia to help you through them."

"Yeah," Ichigo smiled, comforted. The idea of having Rukia by his side to help him solve life's challenges appealed to him. _I don't know how I could have gotten this far without her,_ he thought. _I owe everything to her. Because of her, I can protect my family, my friends - I can give everyone my best._ It all started with her, and he was happy it would never end.

Renji punched him on the arm, seeing that Ichigo went off into a daze. "You're a hopelessly romantic sap, you know that?"

Ichigo scowled at him.

"Ah, _there's_ the classic look we all remember," he teased, getting a chuckle out of Ishida. "Just make sure to get rid of it before Rukia sees you."

Ichigo took a deep breath. He was getting totally emo today. Rukia would totally smack him if she knew.

***

Yoruichi rolled her eyes as Banzo Tanabi strolled into the seclusion chamber at the back of the ceremony hall. "Glad to see you made it, Banzo-dono."

"Of course," he said, his voice completely disinterested. "I have my duties to the Four Houses."

Kuukaku wanted to spit at his feet, but she didn't want to sully the room that the bride and groom would spend their first moments as husband and wife. "Tch," she said. "Duties? Where were you when Aizen was making trouble?"

"Aren't children supposed to clean up after their own mess?" he answered, aloof. "Isn't that right, Shiba-_kun_?" The honorific was clearly degrading. As the groom's Head of house, he should have used -sama; as a peer, -dono; at least as a woman, he should have used -san. "I'm sure if you had been there, you would have singlehandedly slain six Espada all by your lonesome."

Byakuya stepped in between them, clearly protective of Kuukaku. Not that she needed his protection - she was fearsome - but it was the honorable, chivalrous thing to do. He would not tolerate Banzo Tanabi picking on a woman in front of him. "Let us not taint these festivities with old conflicts, Banzo-dono."

Tanabi met the stare head-on. "I certainly agree, Kuchiki-_sama_."

"Don't embarrass your daughter today, Banzo-dono," Yoruichi interrupted. She knew that if there was one good quality that her brother-in-law had, it was that he truly did love Ichihime; even if he smothered her to the point of mistreating her. "There will be many eligible bachelors here, so don't be an ass and ruin Ichihime-san's chances."

The testerone-fueled tension faded as Tanabi disengaged himself. Byakuya was thankful - Rukia would not be happy if the sudden absence of a fourth wedding official would delay the ceremony.

Kuukaku looked up at the wall across from the doors at Zangetsu and Sode no Shirayuki. As per tradition, the bride and groom's zanpakutou were hung on a sword rack in prominent, proud display in the matrimony chamber. She took another glance at Tanabi and began to wonder about the origins of that tradition. Kuukaku had an unpleasant suspicion that perhaps they weren't there just for show.

***

The drums began. Quiet settled over the crowd. Over fifteen hundred guests had gathered across the hall floor, kneeling quietly in neat lines that had been etched into the floor. Kodachi Hall was open on one side to a balcony that overlooked gardens, and the bright sunlight shone on the raised balcony floor.

Three doors led into the hall. One was behind the guests, with an aisle that led to the balcony where the ceremony would take place. At the far left side of the balcony was the groom's door, and opposite it on the right was the bride's chamber; essentially dividing the room with a giant T.

When the music began moments later, the audience turned their heads behind them to watch the four Heads of House march solemnly up the aisle. They were in a quadrant formation, with Kuchiki and Shiba in front, since the bride and groom came from their house. As per the tale of the Origins of the Four Houses, Shihoin was listed after Kuchiki; so Yoruichi stood behind Byakuya on the left and Banzo Tanabi stood behind Kuukaku on the right.

They reached the balcony, and the music stopped. As per the custom, the four yellow-clad Heads of House circled around four times, and then stood in a straight line. They began to sing, and despite the fact that only Tanabi had a nice voice, they managed to complete the sixteen-note chant with reasonable dignity.

The door on the left opened, and the groom's party came through in the same quadrant formation, with Ichigo in the middle. Renji and Chad were in front, with Ishida and Ganju in the back. Each of them was carrying a banner flag; green cloth with the crests of the Four Houses embroidered in the center.

Today, I march to my future, Ichigo thought, surprised by his deep, introspective mood. It was unlike him, but he supposed that if there was any time for him to appreciate things on a deeper level, this was the moment.

I can't believe I'm actually doing this, but I'm really glad I am.

The party reached the center of the balcony, and Ichigo stood in the center, between the row of Heads and the guests. After the groomsmen circled around Ichigo four times, they slammed the end of their flagpoles on the ground four times. Ishida, who had the best voice among the men in green, chose the key; and the others joined in to sing the sixteen-note chant. They sounded terrible for the most part, but the audience was too polite to imply that it sounded unsatisfactory; the Heads of House behaved similarly. Ichigo struggled not to break into laughter over their din of barnyard noises, but the pressure of three thousand eyes kept him in line.

Renji, Chad, Ishida, and Ganju then lined up behind Ichigo and went down on one knee behind him. For the moment, their part was done, and now it was Ichigo's turn. He personally thought it was silly, but he wasn't about to argue with thousands of years worth of customs; so he clapped four times.

The bride's doors opened. Nanao and Karin were in front, with Momo behind Nanao and Orihime behind Karin. Ichigo only recognized Nanao because of the purple scarf she was wearing; otherwise he wouldn't have been able to tell. They marched forward slowly, the four bridesmaids wielding large fans with golden rods and pink fabric. They were deliberately obstructing his view of Rukia, and his heart was pounding in anticipation.

Halfway between the bride's chamber and the center of the balcony, they stopped. The four ladies-in-pink repeated the chant, but their voices were soothing and melodious - even Karin's, which surprised him. In particular, Nanao had an amazing voice; a high alto that was strong and perfectly pitched. The audience was clearly impressed, and Ichigo would have been entranced by their harmonies but he was waiting to see his love.

When they finished the chant, their tight formation widened to provide an open view of Rukia, and she took his breath away. He immediately noticed that her precious raven bangs had been died a scarlet red, and she wore her hair up in an elaborate style with four very distinctive chopsticks. Her face was accented by red earrings and a red choker; her kimono and obi were regal, and her lieutenant's badge was polished brightly. An enormous ruby brooch reflected the rays of the sun in such a way that it almost looked as though Heaven itself had sent her there, just for him.

But the thing he noticed most was the tender, loving smile on her face. That wonderful, sincere, genuine, heartwarming smile. Seeing it made the wait worth every second. She blinked tenderly at him - a gesture he immediately knew meant "it's good to see you" - and he returned it. He could see her smile widen at the acknowledgement, and as the bridal party began to advance again, the entire world around him ceased to exist.

All he saw was Rukia. His bride.

***

"Hey, you see my kawaii Nanao-chan?" Shunsui whispered to Juu.

"Huh?" he muttered, only giving his best friend half of his attention. Kiyone was kneeling on the other side of him, straining her supple neck to see. Ukitake was dangerously close to her and could smell her perfume, which was lusciously intoxicating. Although staring at her chest would have been tasteless, in their kneeling position it was easy to steal glances at the slit of her dress, where he thought he just might be able to see past her hip and....

_Ugh,_ he thought as he closed his eyes tightly. He was hopelessly distracted. He should have been watching the ceremony - this was his vice captain's wedding, after all - but they didn't have a particularly good seat. And today, Kiyone was very much worth looking at.

Some others present at the event had noticed, too. Jushiro reached for her hand, and she gladly accepted, flashing him a quick innocuous grin before returning to see the bridesmaids circle Kuchiki four times. Ukitake would prefer that any other interested individuals realize she was taken, rather than care about others seeing him holding hands with his subordinate. Who was his date. Who he loved, of course.

Ugh, what the hell am I gonna do? Her touch was electrifying him. She was rubbing his knuckles with her thumb and it felt unusually sensual to him. _Dear god, I'm becoming a dirty old man,_ he winced.

In truth, had Ukitake not been so confused, he would have realized that it was only quite natural. For so long, his illness had left him too weak and out of sorts to have a libido. But now? He was as healthy as a horse. More specifically, an unsatisfied stallion that was long overdue for some attention. Unfortunately for him, he was too self-conscious to realize that his reactions were only normal.

Of course, in the middle of the moment, he had a very beautiful woman sitting next to him. One whom he already knew would have been very receptive to his advances. That was an understatement, for sure - but if he screwed this up, he was going to ruin everything. Unfortunately, he didn't know how _not_ to screw up. If he played dumb, he would hurt her feelings; but worse could happen if he gave in to his desires.

It made him shudder to realize he was thinking this way about his Kiyone-chan. Who was very clearly not really a kid anymore. She was most definitely Kotetsu-san now.

Ukitake just had no right answer.

Shunsui could see that his friend wasn't going to be able to answer him. "Never mind," he teased, patting him on the back. Juu, you are so in over your head.

***

Hisagi made it in just as the four bridesmaids were kneeling down behind the bride, finishing the symmetry up at the balcony. A blond guy that looked vaguely familiar waved him over; apparently he had saved a seat for him for some reason. When he settled down, he saw the crest on the back of the man's kimono and realized that it was Kira Izuru. Apparently he had changed his look.

"Thanks, Kira-san."

"No problem. Did you see the bridal party?"

"I only caught a glance."

"They all look really incredible," Kira remarked, his voice oddly flowery. Normally it was flat with despair. "Maybe I'll try asking one of them to dance."

Hisagi shrugged, and wondered if Izuru had already had too much to drink.

***

Ichigo stood in front of her. He was spectacularly handsome; the royal-blue kimono and hakama accenting his hair. Rukia never thought she would ever admit it, but she had missed that cocky smile of his.

Rukia held up her right palm. Ichigo reached over to meet it with his own, and they circled around their palmed hands four times. The stopped, and the music and drums finished into a crescendo.

Ichigo recited his vows first, reciting the four-by-four in solemn poetic cadence. "I'll always protect you. I cherish your soul. You are my everything. Love me forever more."

"Your heart transcends time. Your soul envelops me. You bring me comfort. Become my eternal companion," she answered.

Byakuya, as the bride's Head of House, continued authoratatively. "Hereby it be known-"

"--the chamber is ready-" Kuukaku followed loudly,

then Yoruichi, proudly: "and they will be-"

"forever husband and wife," Tanabi concluded with disinterest.

With that cue from the four Heads of House, all of the guests in the hall clapped four times in acknowledgement. The marriage had been witnessed.

The bridesmaids and groomsmen stood as Ichigo and Rukia separated palms and reached to hold hands, side by side. The pink and green members of the bridal party circled four times around them, the women weaving in and out in one direction, and the men in the other. The groomsmen and bridesmaids then lined up on their respective sides, with Renji and Nanao in the front.

After the heads, groomsmen, bridesmaids repeated the sixteen-note chant for the fourth and final time (the audience thankful that the groomsmen and Heads of House were accompanied by the wonderful voices of the ladies this time), the bridesmaids and groomsmen marched down the aisle to the seclusion chamber from where the four Heads of House emerged at the start of the ceremony.

As per tradition, the bride and groom were to be secluded in the private chamber for the first dance set. The intent was to present that the marriage was consummated; although considering the effort taken for the bride to get her clothes just right, most knew it was merely symbolic. On the other hand, no one but the bride and groom really know what goes on in there; so it was entirely plausible. It was the special honor of the Crowngifter to close the chamber on the couple, and open it when the dance set was over. When the couple emerged, they would be greeted by cheers and applause for the first time as husband and wife.

Nanao opened the doors and motioned for Ichigo and Rukia to come in. Nanao smiled when she could see that the couple needed no one else to tell them. Heh heh, after not seeing each other for more than a month, who knows what crazy things could happen with the two of them in here, she thought.

"Ise Fukutaicho," Ichigo asked for her attention. If he didn't know better, he would have sworn she looked like Rukia's older sister without her glasses on, especially with her hair down. "Thank you for everything. You really outdid yourself."

"You're welcome, Kurosaki-san," she answered him warmly, but then went straight back to business. Ise Nanao was good at running things, be they military divisions or weddings. It was why Rukia was so willing to let her organize the whole thing in the first place. "You guys get twenty-three and a half minutes for the dance set. Make it count. And remember, Kurosaki-san, it took us thirty-six minutes to get that kimono and obi on," she teased.

"Nanao-san!" Rukia swatted her friend away. "Shoo!"

Nanao laughed as she closed the doors to the chamber. They were lucky. If Nanao was ever able to settle down with a guy, she wouldn't have been blessed with such innocence.

* * *

_The overwhelming majority of the ceremony here is completely made up of my own device, but I'll credit a few things to established customs: many Asian cultures have the bride wear red and the groom wear blue, and the idea of a seclusion chamber is not mine, either. It's actually an integral part of a traditional Jewish wedding, and is indeed intended to symbolically consummate the marriage. But all of the other symbolism here is obviously tailored around multiples of four, e.g. the honor of the Four Houses._

_Reviews, please! Next chapter: Pairings galore as the dances begin - and let's just say things pick up the pace from there. The climax approaches!_

_

* * *

_

~~Crossover Cup!~~

Today's special guest: _Death The Kidd, _from Soul Eater!

_DtK: _Perfect and precise. Perfect and precise. Such an amazing celebration! How incredibly symmetrical!

_Nathan: _Why thank you!

_DtK: _You have fours, which is two-by-two, that is also two-to-two, and sixteens, which is then four-by-four, and sixty-four notes, which is eight-by-eight - the perfect symmetry!

_Nathan: _Uh, okay...

_DtK: _And the you have the symmetrical symbolism of the four Heads of House, and the Four Bridesmaids, and the....

_Liz Thompson (sticking her head onstage): _Um, Nathan, you may want to slip out of here. He'll be here for a while.


	36. The Dance of Many, The Beloved Shadow

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Bleach.

_**Author's note: **For those of you who don't remember the end of "Save This For Kuchiki", there were some promotions besides Rukia's:  
- Yumichika is captain of the 3rd division  
- Renji is captain of the 9th division  
- Hanataro was promoted from 7th to 6th seat in the 4th division  
Also, for those of you who don't remember, __"Save This For Kuchiki" mentions that Kotsubaki Sentaro is a recovered alcoholic.  
__-njx_

_________Also, in case you're wondering, i_t seems that the site has started filtering out the triple-asterisk section breaks I've typically been using. I've switched to something else, so hopefully the new section breaks won't get filtered out. -njx  


* * *

The music began, and Kira Izuru took a deep breath as he adjusted with his obi out of nervousness. It was now or never.

-:-

His ears twitched as he could hear the subtle notes of the flute surface over the violin, the cello harmonize with the alto notes of the saxophone, and the harpist match the fifth-tones of the piano. Komamura Saijin believed in the inspirational qualities of music, and he was impressed with the band's exquisite blend of bass and treble melodies. It gave him courage as he acknowledged the transformative power of celebration amongst those who so often danced against the blades of enemies rather than the smiles of loved ones.

Saijin remembered the message that the bride had sent him with his obi; advice that she had told him not too long ago: "Just be yourself." Indeed, it had been a touching quote; and he felt at peace. Pausing to celebrate his own tranquility that was often so shrouded by the nebulous world around him, he savored the zen-like effect the music had on his soul. Satisfied that he had achieved unity with his own self-confidence, Komamura set out to find himself some company for the remainder of his cherished student's gallant affair.

-:-

"Hey Taicho! You wanna dance?"

"Sorry, Matsumoto," Hitsugaya shrugged. "I promised Hinamori the first dance."

"Aw, Taicho!"

"Give it up, Matsumoto. There are a thousand guys here who wanna dance with you. Hinamori will never forgive me if I break my promise."

In truth, Hitsugaya Toshiro wanted to dance with Hinamori of his own volition. He was proud of her, of how beautiful Momo was today. Today, it was like the way old things were: when he was a nobody, and she was the big-shot shinigami he loved. It hadn't been that way since Toshiro became 10th division captain. Until that point, Hinamori had always been considered the genius: a young girl who rose to a vice captain's seat with an impressive reputation for mastery in both offensive branches of kido.

He made his way quickly over to where she was standing.

-:-

Kira was crestfallen when he saw Hinamori accept Hitsugaya's offer to dance. The first dance was the most important; it was called the King and Queen's Waltz. It was customary (but not required) for one to sit with their first dance partner at the wedding. In other words, he was out of luck.

Izuru's despair was returning when he felt a small tug on the sleeve of his kimono. "Hm?" He turned to see a young black-haired girl with a flower in her hair; she was wearing pink. "Oh - you must be Kurosaki-chan," he offered. "Can I help you?"

"Me? Nah," she answered. "But you should wipe that silly frown off your face. Momo-san told me she made Hitsugaya-kun promise her the first dance. He's her only family, you know. They grew up together."

Izuru looked at her funny. "Family?"

"Yeah, you know, _little brother_?"

Izuru felt relief trickle in - followed by suspicion. "Wait a minute - and just why are you telling _me_ this?"

Karin smiled. "Sorry, us women have trade secrets."

-:-

"Momo, I'm really proud. You look beautiful."

"Aw, you're so cute, Shiro-chan!"

He stifled a bristly response. As much as it was Kuchiki's day, Momo had the once-in-a-lifetime honor of being a bridesmaid in a Four Houses wedding; and she deserved to be a princess for a while. He reminded himself that for at least one day, she could go back to her role as being his big sister; including the right to call him by a cutesy nickname that he hated. "Yeah, yeah."

"Hey Toshiro, when we're done, can you do me a favor?"

"Hm?" he mused, trying not to bump into the couple next to them.

"I think you should ask Karin-chan to dance."

"What! You mean Kurosaki's little sister?"

"Mm-hmm."

"But she's just a kid!"

"C'mon, Toshiro-kun! If you don't, she's going to be the only bridesmaid without anyone to dance with. If anyone else asked her, it would be creepy."

He glared at her. "I am not twelve," he said through gritted teeth.

"She thinks you're cute."

To her surprise, his response wasn't harsh at all. "...I am not cute."

"Excuse me, _handsome._"

He sighed and looked over his shoulder at the black-haired girl with the flower in her hair. He had to admit she was a hottie. "Fine. But I'm only doing this as a favor."

"Aw, admit it, you want to!"

Somehow, his contained fury gave him the habitual urge to scream _"MATSUMOTO!"_ even though she wasn't the particular focus of his ire at the moment. He clenched his jaw to hold it back, and noticed that Kurosaki's sister was giggling at him.

_Women_, he thought. Sometimes I wonder if it's easier to bargain with the devil.

-:-

Yoruichi grimaced inside as she saw both Soifon and Kisuke approach at the same time. Her embarrassment was proven to be well-founded when they simultaneously asked, "Will you dance with me?"

Ugh, I am _so_ not dealing with this right now. Yoruichi turned into a cat and scampered away.

-:-

Isane stood next to her captain, watching the scene over by her sister. Isane had hoped that Kiyone wouldn't have done anything embarassing, but that outfit of hers was more than a bit risque. Isane was uncomfortable with so many men ogling her little sister.

"Relax, Isane-san," Unohana comforted her, sensing her uneasyness. "There's no harm in dressing up for one day."

"H-h-hai, Taicho," she stuttered. She was always embarrassed when her captain could read her mind. It made Isane feel so simple-minded, like anyone could read her like an open book. It was one of the reasons she had a hard time talking to people - she could never hide anything. It made for a lot of awkward conversations.

Still, she was concerned. Isane herself was painfully shy, but she would happily kick the snot out of anybody who mistreated her sister. Although she rarely fought - not that she was great at it - there was a reason she had a melee-based shikai rather than something more aligned with her healing kido talents. She and Kiyone had appeared in the Rukongai, and Isane had protected her sister until they were both able to graduate from Shinou Academy. Isane may have hated fighting, but she was not one to avoid it when it necessary - and when it came to protecting her only family, Isane was more ferocious than a cornered tiger. More than a few rank-and-file shinigami over the years had ended up with severe injuries because they had underestimated Isane's response to provocation, and despite the fact that Kiyone could now wipe the floor with her older sister in a fight, Isane would still slice a moving train in half if that's what it took to keep Kiyone safe.

Which is why she was so conflicted at the moment. It was one thing if guys were ogling her sister, it was another thing entirely if Kiyone invited it.

"Excuse me, Unohana Taicho. Kotetsu Fukutaicho?"

Isane's worrying was interrupted by a small squeaky voice somewhere near her waist. She looked down to see the 4th division 6th seat, Yamada Hanataro. "Yes?"

Hanataro stiffened as tall as he could and put on the bravest face he could muster. _I can do this,_ he thought. "Will you dance with me?"

"M-m-me?" Isane blushed.

"Y-y-yes." _Oh god, she is so beautiful. And tall. She's never gonna say yes._

"S-s-sure," she answered, astonished that anyone had asked her at all.

He took her hand - they were both trembling and nervous - but he led her out onto the dance floor. Unohana Retsu was surprised to see that the normally klutzy Hanataro seemed to be able to waltz, although it was evident he must have only learned recently. Still, he was better than Isane - she didn't seem to know how to dance at all.

Look at them, they're so cute! Unohana thought. This will be such a good thing for Isane-chan. She could use some attention.

Her thoughts were interrupted when her fellow captain, Komamura Saijin, extended out a large hand to her. "May I have the honor of this dance, Unohana-dono?"

So that's why he's been hanging around the infirmary so much lately, she mused. And here I thought I would have to sit by myself this evening. "It would be my pleasure," she answered cheerily, and allowed him to escort her to the dance floor.

-:-

"Ikkaku-san, do you want to dance?"

He looked away. "I only dance before a big fight."

Yumichika sighed. Sitting on the side is_ not_ beautiful.

-:-

"Well, Inoue-san, as the last Quincy, I officially have nothing to do with shinigami. Therefore, the only person I can ask to dance is you. Will you accompany me?"

Orihime laughed. "Oh that act is always so clever," she teased, kissing him on the cheek.

He led her off to the dance floor, reminding himself how lucky he was that Kurosaki had fallen in love with a different girl.

-:-

"But Ken-chan!"

"Damnit, Yachiru, I told you a thousand times. I don't dance!"

"Fine," she huffed and bounded off. Where's Captain Weirdo? At least he'll dance with me. Ah! There he is! "C'mon, let's dance!"

Yumichika didn't have a chance to respond as his pink-haired former vice captain towed him onto the dance floor. Oh well, it was better than nothing.

-:-

Ukitake Jushiro was deeply conflicted. He was afraid to ask Kiyone to dance, for fear of the impression he would give her. That was what he told himself, anyway. Deep down, he didn't really care what impression he gave her anymore. The real reason was that he would be positioned perfectly to look right down at her chest, and the temptation terrified him.

On the other hand, a not-so-small crowd of men was gathering close by, waiting to see if she would move even three inches away from him. They were eager to pounce if they had any indication she wasn't taken.

Shunsui bumped into him - most definitely on purpose - knocking his arm into hers. Kiyone smiled awkwardly as he apologized, and fidgeted by tucking a piece of hair behind her ear that had never really gone anywhere to begin with.

_Ancestors, give me strength,_ Jushiro prayed silently. "Kotetsu-san, can I ask you to dance?"

He didn't even hear her say yes. She just grabbed his hand and pulled him out on the dance floor, her smile beaming wide as she pulled up close to him and wrapped her arms around his torso. His heart was pumping in his chest so hard that he was sure Unohana Taicho was going to come over and tell him to lie down, but he had no such luck.

Ukitake put his hands on her slender waist, sending a shiver down his spine as he absentmindedly tucked his thumbs into her belt. The King and Queen's Waltz had just ended, and the music had slid into something softer and slower. As they swayed gently amongst the crowd, Ukitake was too anxious to notice the several hundred jealous looks they were receiving, from both men and women alike. He was trying to maintain himself, but Kiyone was slowly pressing herself into him, and his restraint was weakening.

He could feel her lithe figure slowly craning underneath his hands, and every tiny movement was like being hooked up to a bio-feedback machine. When the pinky on his right hand accidentally grazed her exposed hip for a moment, his whole body seized up, the sexual tension grinding away at his sanity.

"Something wrong, Jushiro-san?" she asked him, her head leaning against his chest. Her voice was not the concerned kind that she used when she had been taking care of him. It was the sultry kind, and it felt like a hammer was banging the inside of his skull.

"N-no, not at all." _Wow, I am an absolutely terrible liar,_ he whined to himself. Her silver-tinted lips were looking particularly enticing at the moment. Now I know why Shunsui gets into so much trouble.

-:-

Kiyone was having way too much fun being mischievous. She silently thanked Matsumoto for the lessons. By the end of the day, she hoped her captain would, at the very least, stop thinking of her as a little kid. If she was lucky, she might even get something tangible for her troubles. 'Cause this corset hurts like a bitch, she thought.

Of course, she was already in his arms for all to see, with her head on his chest. Things couldn't have been better. Even if nothing changed after today, she was at least glad to have this moment. It was worth all the scheming, the money for the outfit, the hours it took to look just right.

-:-

"Ne, Nanao-chan, why won't you dance with me?"

"With all due respect, sir, you have wandering hands." Where is he?

"But Kotetsu-chan is dancing with her captain!" Kyoraku whined.

She spread her fan out and waved at him dismissively. "Yes, but she actually has romantic interest in her captain, sir." Ah, there he is!

"You can dance with me anyway," he suggested, ignoring her retort.

"No thank you, sir. You still have wandering hands. Now if you don't mind, you're scaring away all of the other men I _could_ be dancing with," and she headed off in the direction she had found him. Nanao couldn't take it anymore. If he wasn't going to ask her, she was going to ask him.

"So cruel, Nanao-chan." And she looked so beautiful tonight, too - quite a resemblance to his niece Kirio, actually.

Sigh. If only he hadn't been such a womanizer. It would have been so much easier.

-:-

"Hey Matsumoto," Renji called as he came over. "Can I invite you to dance?"

"Hm? Oh - hi, Renji!" Matsumoto took a sip of her margarita. "Sorry. If my guys aren't short, pale and snowy, I just have to settle for someone tall, dark and handsome. Oh - look!"

Before Renji could even get another word in, Rangiku had grabbed Chad's hand and pulled him onto the dance floor, not even waiting for him to say anything. It was clear she was already a bit tipsy, as she had forgotten to put down her drink as she headed out to dance.

Renji was sullen. Losing Rukia to Ichigo, Matsumoto to Chad... man, I gotta stay away from these real-world dudes. They take all the good women.

At that moment, as if Fate wished to prove Renji's hypothesis correct, Ishida and Inoue passed by him. They both had ridiculously silly smiles plastered on their faces and were dancing in a ludicrously fanciful way. Renji was sure that Four Eyes was showing off his Magical Happy Quincy Dancing Technique Number Seven, the obvious predecessor to his Ancient Lucky Quincy Nighttime Bouncing Activity Technique Number Thirty-Two.

Wonderful. Just wonderful.

Depressed, he saddled up to the bar. "Gin and tonic, and go easy on the tonic."

The bartender handed him his drink a moment later, and Ganju sat down next to him. "You too, eh?"

Renji snorted. "You and me ain't in the same league, pal. Sorry."

"Hey, you think your receding hairline is better than mine?" Ganju retorted with a hurt look.

"Ah, shut it, old man. At least I'm a captain."

"An ugly one," Ganju muttered under his breath.

Renji heard him. "You're not one to talk, buddy."

At that moment, the 4th division vice captain whizzed by, dancing with Yamada Hanataro. Kotetsu Isane had a giant smile on her face and looked gleefully entertained. The normally bumbling Yamada seemed at ease.

Renji buried his face in his hands. To think that Hanataro had someone to dance with while he sat at the bar was too much to handle. "I am officially a loser," he mumbled.

"That makes two of us," Ganju added.

Renji winced as a glass slammed down on the bar, the reverberation rattling his skull. He jerked up.

"Triple scotch, and none of that blended stuff. I want a single malt older than I am," the woman said. Renji eventually recognized it as the shinigami who was going to be promoted into his old 6th division vice captain seat, Banzo Ichihime.

She was wearing an elegant but plain long-sleeved western dress with white high heels, an unusual choice for a woman who was as tall as she was. Her hair, normally bright pink, was died a subtle lavender color instead, and was tied to the side with a white silk ribbon. Ichihime's normal hoop earrings on her exposed ear had been replaced with small diamond studs. She was clearly wearing a lot of makeup, since unlike usual, her complexion was uniform across both sides of her face. Renji realized that she had probably tied her hair over the side to hide her other ear, which she likely wouldn't be able to disguise her blotchy red skin so easily. All dolled up, Ichihime actually looked pretty good.

Renji admired her for a moment. "That's quite a drink for a young lady."

"I don't see you drinking something fruity, Captain Stripes," she retorted bitterly.

"Stray dogs stick to what they find in the gutter," he answered, only half joking.

"And jilted princesses drown themselves in liquor." And then Ichihime began to do just that.

Renji was about to ask what she meant when Ganju jabbed him in the side. He turned to ask him what the hell he was doing when Ganju discreetly whispered in his ear. "Kurosaki's dad ran away three weeks before she was supposed to marry him. Weddings aren't exactly her thing."

Renji was feeling really awkward having Ganju talk about Ichihime while she was right there. _"Are you serious?"_ he whispered.

Ganju nodded. "Ask Rukia about it some time." He then departed abruptly. Ganju had no desire to be around the angry Grand Lady of the Banzo House. He was the only single guy left amongst the Four Houses, and he was pretty sure Banzo Ichihime would rather commit seppuku then be caught anywhere near him.

Ichihime slammed the empty glass down on the bar. "You call that good scotch? Tch. I'll stick with vodka. Make it a double, and throw in some rum for good measure."

When the bartender put the glass down, a hand pulled it out of the way before Ichihime could pick it up. "Hey, you gotta death wish or something?" she snapped at him.

"Oh, give it a rest," Renji answered. "You're too pretty to get sloshed."

She gave him a startled look. Did he just say 'pretty'? Am I hallucinating? Let me check: "Um, hey - uh, maybe you wanna dance or something?"

"Sure," he said, pushing the barstool in behind him. "A stray dog could do much worse than a princess."

"A princess could do much worse than a stray dog," she replied, mockingly patting his head.

Renji laughed out loud. How ironic. Fate sure had an interesting sense of humor.

-:-

Hisagi was drinking his beer, bummed out. Where the hell was she? He kept looking around the room, but it was impossible to find her. Goddamn it, why does everyone have to wear white? It's like a giant sea of cotton balls! How the hell am I supposed to find anyone in this crowd?

"Excuse me, would you like to dance?"

Shuhei turned his head to find a gorgeous, slender woman in front of him. She had long black hair, almond eyes and a sharp chin. A purple scarf adorned her shoulders, and he recognized her as one of the bridesmaids from her pink kimono. He didn't know her name, but with her striking features, he guessed that she must have been Kuchiki Fukutaicho's older sister - he didn't know too much about the Kuchiki family outside of those who were in the Gotei 13. With the same dark hair, it was the most logical conclusion for someone who was clearly an important person in the wedding party.

Hisagi was tempted - _really _tempted - but he politely declined. "It pains me to say no to such a beautiful woman, but I'm looking for a friend of mine." Really, _really_ pains me, he thought, eyes glimpsing the tight curve of her waist.

"Oh. Sorry, then." The woman folded her fan and tucked it into the sleeve of her kimono.

Shuhei felt awful. He had probably just committed a cardinal sin by turning down a bridesmaid - and a Kuchiki, no less. She clearly looked dejected, and he felt miserable. "Wait - I missed your name?"

She gave him a puzzled look. "Huh?"

He felt even more awkward than he did before - no, he felt like an absolute jerk. Not to mention that Kuchiki Fukutaicho would probably chew him out for turning down her sister. "Never mind, I'm sorry. May I still take up your offer? It looks like Ise Fukutaicho isn't here, and it's rude of me to deny a bridesmaid the opportunity to dance." Man, I sound like such a lame-ass moron.

The woman hesitated for a moment, but then gave him an oddly familiar smile. "Oh, Hisagi-san, you're a riot." She then grabbed his hand and pulled him over to the floor.

"Wuh? W-wait... how do you know my name?"

She wrapped her arms around his neck with an incredulous grin, and then shook her head at him. "I sit across from you in the lieutenant's meetings, you dolt."

_Holy. Furkin'. Crap._ Shuhei had always thought Nanao was attractive, but he didn't know she could pull _this_ off. He never would have suspected it in a million years. "I-I-Ise-san!"

"I can't believe you don't recognize me without my glasses," she remarked, disbelief evident.

Are you freakin' _kidding_ me? Who the hell recognizes you _without them_! _I_ certainly don't. Hell, I _like_ the glasses. "Well, you look absolutely fantastic, but I guess I always dream about you with them on."

She eyed him, not sure of how she should take that comment, but decided to let it slide. "I'll remember that," she answered innocently. When Nanao saw the gleam in his smile, she winked at him.

-:-

Kotsubaki stood on the sidelines, trying to find someone to dance with when Soifon came over and dejectedly stood a few feet away from him.

If it was anybody but the head of the Omnitsukido, he would have laughed. Her outfit was atrocious - she was wearing a short frilly white skirt with a poofy-sleeved blouse. White cowboy boots were totally out of sync with the rest of her outfit, and she wore something that was halfway between a white vest and a white haori. The braids in her hair that were normally covered in yellow ribbon were instead tied in a knot with a white scarf that looked more like a hand towel than something someone would want to wear. All together, Soifon looked like a teenager who had accidentally crashed into a bleached rag truck. Even Kotsubaki could tell she was a fashion disaster.

"Soifon Taicho," he greeted with a small but respectful bow. The ice in his soda clinked when he moved.

"Kotsubaki San-Seki," she nodded politely, but her voice came out as miserable. She wasn't even looking at him; she just gazed angrily at the floor and grumbled something to herself incoherently.

He knew it would be a good idea to get far away from her, but it would have been rude for him to slink away because he was sure she would notice. So the two of them just stood there; she moping bitterly, and he hoping that she wouldn't beat the crap out of him. Misery loves company, I suppose; Kotsubaki figured, and gulped down his soda like he used to down sake.

Suddenly, Soifon grabbed him by his shirt and started barking in his face. "What, you don't want to ask me to dance! Am I ugly or something!"

"N-n-no! I j-j-just thought you w-w-would have preferred some time to yourse-"

_"Shut up and ask me to dance!"_

"O-o-kay! Um, l-l-let's dance, then!"

Soifon dragged him by his collar to the dance floor. _I'll show her I can be lovable, damnit!_

-:-

Hinamori Momo waved cheerily as an enthusiastic Kira Izuru trotted in her direction, his hand extended in an offer to dance. She liked his new old look; he was much cuter this way.

Momo happily took his hand with an excited giggle, and the two of them waltzed onto the center floor.

-:-

Kyoraku couldn't believe it. _Hisagi?_ His Nanao-chan was accusing him of wandering hands, and she goes to dance with a guy who has '69' tattooed on his face!

So cruel.

-:-

Toshiro was secretly glad that he agreed to do Hinamori a favor. He found Karin pleasant company, and she had an aura about her that made her seem older. In particular, he was impressed with her relative maturity and how polite she was. She didn't expect him to behave like a kid her own age.

Until she pinched his butt.

Moments later he was gasping for air inside a storage closet, praying that Matsumoto would never find him. If she did, he would never hear the end of it. Hell, he could lose his haori for being so crass.

Of course, those weren't the only reasons he didn't want to be found. Despite the fact that he was technically decades older than she was, he still had the body of a thirteen-year old human boy. That is to say, having not quite yet finished puberty, it was perfectly normal for Hitsugaya Toshiro to be attracted to girls that appeared to be his own physical age. To him, Kurosaki Karin was about as cute as they come.

He was normally fiercely protective of his inner self, suppressing his childish antics with frozen force. Hitsugaya Toshiro had a reputation to maintain. It was hard enough earning the respect of his division and his fellow captains. At the moment, though, he was making the excuse that it was psychologically healthy for him to nurture his true childish nature for a little while.

There were nine more minutes until the first dance set was over, when he and Karin had to be there to see Kuchiki and Kurosaki came out of the matrimony chamber. That gave him seven more minutes of kissing before he had to go back to being an adult.

Yeah, getting the most out of those seven minutes was _definitely_ the most important reason he didn't want to be found.

-:-

Byakuya was already sitting at a table. He didn't generally care for dancing (it was one of the few things that he was actually terrible at), but he was enjoying a cup of tea and admiring the happy couples out on the dance floor. Of particular interest was Ukitake Jushiro, who seemed to be having a turbulent day. Byakuya had never seen him so skittish. The fact that his melodramatic third-seat was wrapped around him was no doubt the likely cause of his unusual behavior.

Byakuya was suddenly sad, spurred by a taste of his tea. The tea was fine, but it was standard fare. Nothing like the remarkable talents of Kurosaki Yuzu. Although his recollection of the young lady was related to her cooking, he had often thought of the child since he had first met her. There was a certain cheery innocence to the girl, a measure of purity and wholesomeness, that Byakuya actually envied. He himself was slightly amused by the fact that this odd bond he had for her had been formed after meeting her only once.

He didn't tell a soul, but he had already eaten half the box of cookies Kurosaki Karin had brought him. He wasn't sure what those children saw in him to provide him with such a wonderful gift, but he thought about Kurosaki Yuzu with every bite. Byakuya felt a need to make it up to the young chef somehow; although he had no idea how to appease a child with such talents; especially one who knew nothing of the world of the shinigami.

Sorry that Yuzu could not be here, he was saddened further. He would never admit it, but Byakuya had always wished that Hisana had left him children. He would have been a much better man had he been forced to deal with the trials of patience that little ones provide their elders - his initial exchange with Kurosaki Karin's determination left him no doubt of this. Byakuya was sure that had he been forced to do the job his own parents and grandparents had done, he would have been a better brother, too.

Over the past few weeks, he had wondered a lot about things that might have been. If Byakuya had been lucky enough to have children, would they have been as rash, hot-headed, selfish, and rotten as he was? Would they have been as patient, caring, tender, and loving as Hisana? Or as grand, proud, strong, and loyal as Rukia? Would his children have turned out as remarkable as the Kurosaki twin he so often thought of?

Byakuya was amused and then immediately mournful by this last thought. To think that he could raise a child to be as heartwarming and endearing as Kurosaki Yuzu on his own was a fallacy - but he still wished he had been able to try. It had been the greatest tragedy in his life that he did not have more years with Hisana to try.

He had berated himself every single day for years - Byakuya had utterly failed Hisana. He could have dedicated every last ounce of his effort during those five years, hiring private search parties, contacting the underground, spending his off-hours searching himself for the sister that eventually fell into his lap. He should have put his career in the Gotei 13 on hold, so that Hisana could rest and recuperate while _he_ looked for the young girl who bore nearly her exact resemblance. But it had been his own self-centeredness that had been her demise; his own inability to even think of such an idea. He had moved on with his career blindly. It was what tore him every morning, when he arose from his bed; and what crushed him every evening when he sat by her picture - that he had been so wrapped up in himself that he could not have even conceived of asking Hisana if he could do such a thing for her.

And now, because of him, the treasure of his life, Kuchiki Hisana, could not celebrate her sister's wedding; the grand event in the honor of her only flesh and blood. The woman who loved him and respected him despite the fact that he was a demon, the woman who knew him - she wasn't there, because he hadn't been able to save her from herself.

Byakuya sighed. He should not have been brooding like so on such a happy occasion. Despite the fact that he never would have wanted Rukia to fall in love with Kurosaki Ichigo, he respected her wishes, and he was here to celebrate. As challenging as it would be for the bride and groom - Kurosaki Ichigo was not exactly well suited for the life of nobility - Byakuya only wished them his warmest blessings. Although he irritated Byakuya to the point of extremes, Kurosaki Ichigo was ultimately a good man; loyal and dedicated to those he cared about.

In retrospect, despite the groom's rough edges, Byakuya concluded that he would not have wanted Rukia to marry anyone else. Kurosaki Ichigo had done too much for Rukia for him not to deserve her hand in marriage, much the same way Hisana had done too much for Byakuya. On top of that, Byakuya would not have wanted Rukia to marry someone who wouldn't put her first; and if there was anything that Kurosaki Ichigo had done to prove his devotion, it was that he had repeatedly demonstrated that Rukia was even more important to him than his own life. None had ever demonstrated better reason to marry his sister, and Byakuya was therefore pleased that Rukia would be marrying Kurosaki Ichigo.

That last thought nearly gagged him, but he contained himself. To think that Kurosaki Ichigo was now his brother was a bit too much for Byakuya at the moment.

"Byakuya-san," Kuukaku said to him from behind his field of vision. He waited for her to cross in front of him. She was wearing a sleeveless yellow kimono that was relatively low-cut, but fairly modest compared to her usual outfit. Her short arm was decorated in a wreath of yellow flowers that Byakuya believed were carnations, but wasn't sure. Unlike her typical attire, she wore no hat or head covering, opting only for a yellow rose that had been pinned by her hair. He noticed it was a remarkably similar hairstyle to the one that Kurosaki Karin was wearing today; and he noted to himself that he could see the familial resemblance. Kuukaku retained her usual clogs, although her ankles were wrapped in yellow ribbon rather than the white bandages she normally wore.

She can be an attractive woman when she wants to be, he remarked to himself. "Yes, Kuukaku-dono?"

Kuukaku was impressed that he had chosen to use -dono instead of -san with her personal name. Coming from him, it was a great compliment. "Would you like to dance?"

"No," he replied curtly. "But," he added quickly, "I would not mind if you join me for tea."

"You looked like you could use some company," Kuukaku said personably as she took a seat next to him. She thought about it for a minute, and then boldly reached for his hand. He didn't hold hers, but he didn't seem to mind that she had wrapped her palm around the back of his hand, either. He said nothing, so she prompted him. "It was gracious of you to also serve the same wedding feast for the people of Inazuri."

Byakuya chose a carefully worded response. "I believe another Head of House has taught me that perhaps the duties of nobility extend beyond the borders of the Sereitei."

Kuukaku smiled. It was an indirect compliment, but she was flattered nonetheless. She tried to prod him into further conversation. "It is a wonderful event."

"I deserve no credit, as I did not plan it."

"But you paid for most of it."

He said nothing.

Kuukaku quit the banter. It was getting nowhere. Being direct was sometimes the only way. "Hisana-dono would be happy."

She expected him to scowl, but he didn't. Instead, he looked away from her for a moment, but then returned to gazing on the crowd.

Kuukaku was hurting inside. "Byakuya-san," she pleaded. "Please, say something. _Anything._"

His gut wrenched. Kuukaku always seemed to get inside his head by prying it open with crass indifference to his dignity. Yet she herself had her own dignity that never made her beg. To hear her speak this way to him - true, raw, unfiltered emotion - really struck him.

Byakuya realized then that he was not the only one who wore a mask to hide the pain inside. This was the first time she had really, truly exposed herself to his mercy, and Byakuya immediately felt intensely awkward. She was willing to make herself vulnerable before him, and he couldn't pretend to be indifferent this time. "...Thank you for joining me," he said sincerely, although it came out a bit colder than he wanted it to.

She sighed and squeezed his hand. He gave no response, verbal or otherwise.

Kuukaku was pleased, though, when he broke the silence first. "What do you expect of me, Kuukaku-san?" His voice was equally frustrated and exasperated, but it contained a hint of something more personal.

She took her chance. It was the last one she might ever get. Kuukaku leaned over and whispered quietly into his ear. "To believe what your heart tells you."

Byakuya clenched his jaw tight as he felt her tear fall on his cheek. He rested his hand on the hilt of his zanpakutou, hoping to find answers. Senbonzakura, however, was little different than he was; and said nothing.

He was still for a long moment, with his hand still underneath hers but otherwise cut off from her. Finally, she could see his jaw unclench in preparation to speak. "How do you know you will find your answers there?" Byakuya asked, his voice cold and distant.

She scooted closer to him. Byakuya didn't react, but Kuukaku knew better. "Because I know you, Byakuya-san. Hisana-dono fell in love with you for the same reasons that I did."

"How can you say such things?" he was quick to retort. "You know nothing of me."

She laughed out loud, a rambunctious and boisterous laughter that to him seemed completely undignified - but was too real and heartfelt to dismiss as sillyness. "Oh, Byakuya-san. Tell me, did Hisana-dono appreciate your sense of humor?"

He looked at her with a dark, offended brow.

"Please, if Hisana-dono was here, she'd be kicking you in the ass right now and telling you take me home and make wild, passionate love to me."

"She would do no such thing," he grumbled, more than annoyed.

Kuukaku slowly regained control over her overflowing laughter and took a cup of tea from a passing waiter. She took a sip to calm her giggles before addressing him again. "Byakuya-san, let's get married."

If he was a lesser man, he would have spewed his tea right then and there. "_Excuse_ me? I beg your pardon?"

She turned serious. "I will never take Hisana-dono's place, nor do I want to. She was a special woman who is deserving of every praise and honor you have ever given her, and then some. By your own admission, the five years you were married were the happiest days of your life. And you're afraid. Afraid that I'll make you happy, and that you'll forget about how much she meant to you."

His entire body was frozen, unflinching; save for a single tear that began to form in Byakuya's eye - but even that ultimately refused to move.

Kuukaku persisted. "There's room in that heart of yours for me to stand in her shadow. I will never let you forget the happiness she brought you. I love the man - the _man_, not the prince -- who is shaped by those memories, and so help me, I'll kill you myself if you ever forget her. All I want to do is add to that happiness; give you more of it. Even if I only make you half as happy as she did, for even only one day, I would die a fulfilled woman. _Please,_ Byakuya-san ---- let me stand in Hisana's shadow. Let me love you, too."

He squirmed uncomfortably. His voice cracked, and when he whispered "But I don't love you," it came out with no conviction whatsoever.

She humored his pitiful lie. "But I know you will," she whispered reassuringly.

Byakuya was quiet. Kuukaku took the cup of tea from his free hand, and poured her own tea into it. She then poured half of the mixed tea back into her cup and drank it, giving him the other mixture.

He gave her a puzzled look, so Kuukaku explained. "Lives are like tea, Byakuya-san. Sometimes, they taste better when they are filled with the flavors of another."

Hesitatingly, with the single frozen tear finally cascading down his face, he lifted the cup to his mouth and took a sip. To his soul-shocking surprise, it instantly reminded him of the incredible tastes of Kurosaki Yuzu's amazingly flavorful concoctions. He even allowed himself to appear childish for a moment, since he could not help but finish the cup without stopping to pause. Resting the cup on the table, he stared into the eyes of the Shiba Head of House.

Kuukaku leaned over and kissed him. This time, though, he kissed back.

-:-

Banzo Tanabi was disgusted. Do the other Heads of House have no dignity? One of them was quite literally an animal, and the other two were snogging over in the corner. _Pitiful._ Thankfully, the cursed dance set was finally coming to an end, and it would be time for that dirt-born orphan to open the gates to the oh-so-happy couple.

What rubbish, he thought. Despicable. This entire affair is a sham. To think that a human could claim themselves to be part of the Four Houses was absurdity. To be descended from a disgraced Head of House was even worse; did anyone really think that this gave him the right to marry into such honor? If it hadn't been the fact that they had outnumbered him three-to-one, and that the other Heads of Houses were inextricably tied up with this horrid-haired vaizard, such a thing would never have happened. Well, then, there is nothing left but the tried and true methods of assassination.

With that, the major general of the Kido Corps invoked the dark arts of forbidden kido, stopping time.

* * *

_The Kuukaku/Byakuya scene in this chapter is quite possibly my most favorite passage in this entire story. I just find it so touching. I should note that the "mixed tea" idea is based off a Jewish ritual related to wedding meals. PM me if you're curious and I'll be happy to explain further. _

_Reviews, please! C'mon, you gotta tell me your three favorite parts. There was a lot of goodness in this chapter, I know y'all got **something** to say - so say it!_

_Heh heh, what a cliffhanger, eh? I know you're salivating already. __Next chapter:_ _**THE EPIC CLIMAX IS HERE! IT WILL BE HARDCORE! PANSIES GO ELSEWHERE!**_

* * *

~~Crossover Cup!~~

Today's special guest: _Van Hohenheim,_ from Full Metal Alchemist!

_VH:_ That scene between Byakuya and Kuukaku reminds me of my late wife, Tricia.

_Nathan (nods): _It wouldn't surprise me if she helped you find yourself on many occasion.

_VH (sighs): _You are all too correct. But, if you don't mind me switching topics, Banzo Tanabi figured out how to stop time?

_Nathan: _I don't know that he "figured it out" - he's not the first shinigami to do so. Tessai did it in the Turn Back the Pendulum arc.

_VH: _Do you think he could teach me this alchemical technique?

_Nathan: _I don't think kido and alchemy are the same, but even so, it's probably not a good idea to share that knowledge too much.

_VH (contemplative): _Hmm, I suppose you're right.

_Nathan: _I'm sure Tessai would be happy to teach you how to make good bento boxes, though.

_VH: _Really? I love Japanese food!

_Nathan: _I know, doesn't everybody? I could totally go for some sushi right now.

_Kurosaki Yuzu (popping in): _Did someone ask for sushi?

_VH:_ Wow, this is fantastic! Now I know why Byakuya thinks of you so often.

_Yuzu: _Van Hohenheim likes my cooking! Hurray!

_Nathan: _What about me? Can't I get some?

_Yuzu:_ Sorry. I can only make food for the Fan Fiction world. You're from the real world, sorry.

_Nathan: _Aw, shucks.


	37. Battle at Kodachi Hall

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Bleach.

_**Author's Note:** Thanks to all of you for the tremendous outpouring of praise and encouragement. I've worked so hard on this story, it's really nice to know that so many of you are getting real enjoyment out of it. Now I hope you'll stick with it through the end, because it's going to take a while to get there. :)_

_**Translator's Notes:**  
1) Translating military ranks is not always so clean. For example, in the American military rankings, you have Four Star General, which is higher than General, which is in turn greater than both Major General and Commodore General; as unintuitive as that sounds. To keep things simple, I will simply use the generic Japanese rank 'Shosho' (literally 'general'). The term 'shosho' is used for flavor purposes only; don't read too much into it (e.g. do not assume that I'm using a Japanese military ranking system, which would imply that 'Banzo Shosho' would give Tanabi a higher rank than 'Yamamoto Soutaicho', for instance - Tanabi is obviously not higher in rank than Yamamoto). _

_2) In case you can't figure it out by now, 'oji' means 'uncle'. _

___Thanks! _-njx

* * *

Tanabi would have his revenge on all of them. The Kuchiki girl who refused to marry him, her miscreant husband for meddling in the affairs of nobility, and the entire house of Shiba for their failure to fulfill their promise to his daughter. If Banzo Tanabi's pure geneology was going to end with Ichihime, well then he was certain the Houses of Shiba and Kuchiki were not going to continue, either. When that chamber opens to the rest of them, that insufferable Kuchiki Byakuya and the witch Shiba Kuukaku will find the bride and groom lying in a pool of piss and blood.

It's a shame that raping the bride would leave a trail of evidence, he thought.

Savoring his talent, he admired his handiwork. He took great joy in seeing the silly shinigami from the Gotei 13 stuck in the air like a parade of buffoons, completely unaware of the fact that they were sealed in a timestop. He could have plucked the eyelashes off of any of them. Just like he did to that brash idiot, Shiba Kaien, so many years ago for daring to think he could challenge him.

It was no wonder Aizen scrubbed the floor with these idiots. Tanabi had no love for the traitor, if only because Aizen didn't respect Tanabi enough to recruit him. Tanabi would have loved to overthrow them all and go after the new Spirit King.

Tanabi didn't agree to let his father, Banzo Jirobu, pass on his post as Head of the Kido Corps for no reason. Tanabi didn't agree to let his old man disappear from his life - and more importantly, from Ichihime's - because he thought Otousama should be a mere bodyguard in Division Zero. Tanabi only let him go so that he would be eligible to receive the Crown. Instead, it had gone to that old geezer, Kuchiki Ginrei; and Ichihime had been denied an upbringing with her grandfather. Tanabi was still bitter about the way things had worked out - raising a kid by yourself is tough, and Tanabi had always wished his father would have been easily accessible to provide guidance and advice.

He took a moment to survey the crowd, scanning faces for his daughter. He found her standing next to the 9th division captain, Abarai Renji, seemingly engaged in chat with him. Tanabi didn't know much about him; as he had only read the profiles for potential Kido Corps candidates: Ise Nanao, Hinamori Momo, Kotetsu Isane, Kira Izuru. Strictly from his appearance, Tanabi assumed that Abarai did not come from nobility, but he would have to talk about that later with his daughter. At the moment, she looked happy - and for that reason, he would leave Abarai be for the time being. For Ichihime not to be wallowing in misery at a wedding was a truly wonderful thing, and Tanabi did not want to deny her a companion for the evening.

Ichihime had always been difficult, even before she had been jilted. Growing up without a mother had been very, very hard. Tanabi was thankful that Ichihime never blamed herself for her mother's death - that would have been unbearable - but he witnessed history repeat itself: just as he had grown up angry and bitter without a mother, so had she. Unfortunately, Tanabi knew he did not have the same parental qualities that his father had; and unlike Jirobu, Tanabi was not as successful at parenting. As much as Yohana had been the source of so many of his troubles, Tanabi still missed his late wife. Had only she been able to see Ichihime today, with her platinum locks died lavender in honor of her mother, maybe Yohana would not have committed suicide.

As a young man, Tanabi had always wanted to marry Shihoin Yoruichi; the sassy, beautiful princess and adventurous captain who bore the Royal Purple Locks. He had always been disappointed that she had some ridiculuous infatuation with her 3rd Seat, Urahara Kisuke; but Tanabi had not expected her father to humor her interest in a lower-class noble family. When his father Jirobu had asked her father, Tamanaka, to arrange a marriage between the two Houses, Tamanaka had proffered the younger recluse, Yohana. Tanabi was not expecting that, to say the least.

At first, bonding with Yohana had been exceedingly difficult for him. Tanabi was a rugged man, hard-nosed and strong-headed; a man with a granite soul that was required to bear the loss of his mother at a young age. Although she was notably attractive in her own way, Yohana had been a meek, quiet woman; bland and tame with a strong tendency to be melancholy. Her albinism, a syndrome which stripped her of the traditional dark skin and plum hair of the Shihoin family, did not help her self-confidence; and thus she was a fairly weak-hearted woman who tended to wade in her own self-pity. How Shihoin Tamanaka could have thought pairing the two of them was a good idea was beyond Tanabi's imagination, but he would never dare of challenging his elders.

Yohana never had the will nor the stomach to fully satisfy his voracious and demanding needs, emotional or otherwise. Yohana did not care for his rough-and-tumble style in the bedroom, but he was determined to please her; so Tanabi tried to keep things as calm and gentle as he could. The repression drove him absolutely crazy, but he swore to himself he would try to keep himself together. As tempting as it was to seek out a mistress, he stayed faithful; hoping that one day he might gently be able to coax Yohana to try to be a bit more adventurous, although he had never been successful.

Tanabi persisted, over and over, to find ways to make his marriage work - he owed it to his father. Even if he resented the situation slightly, Tanabi would never disrespect his father by not doing everything he could. He gave everything he had to Yohana, but he knew it would never really be enough. She could never fall in love with him, for the simple reason that he could never fall in love with her. As much as he tried, he couldn't. Yohana was simply the wrong woman for him, and Tanabi was the wrong man for her.

Despite this, though, he did care for her; and she for him. Yohana was patient with him, which Tanabi readily acknowledged was not easy. In turn, she appreciated his efforts to make her feel like she wasn't a second-rate bride, no matter how much it was the truth. It was this mutual respect, among other things, that allowed them to get by. It hadn't been optimal by any stretch of the imagination, but they managed. At the very least, they became close friends; which was the best they could have hoped for considering how different they were.

Both of them knew that their parents had loved them dearly and had made the best decisions they could under the circumstances - Four Houses politics were never easy, and marriages had been no exception. If there was one trait where Tanabi and Yohana were perfectly synchronized, it was respect for their parents and their authority. Had it not been for the fact that their fathers arranged the marriage, neither would have tried as hard as they did to make it work. Shihoin Tamanaka and Banzo Jirobu thought they were doing the best for their children, and neither Tanabi nor Yohana had the audacity to spit in their faces by giving up on their marriage.

Tanabi worshipped his father. Jirobu had gone through great troubles for him, bending over backwards to give everything he could to his son. Tanabi's mother, Suzuki, had died when he had been very young, and it had been hard for him. Tanabi had never really been able to form a familial bond with his stepsisters - Kirio's motherly personality had always rubbed him the wrong way; it always felt to him like she was trying to replace his mother - but Otousama had been there for him through _everything._

Jirobu, who later became the Head of the Kido Corps after Tsukabishi Tessai vanished, had given Tanabi an outlet; teaching him and training him in the art of kido. Tanabi had always been an angry kid, but his father helped him find productive ways to express himself, using hado and bakudo against inanimate objects to give him a means to vent his bitterness. Tanabi soon became immersed in the arts of kido, and his father helped him put his mother's death behind him.

Tanabi loved his father dearly for it, and Tanabi would have cut out his tongue before ever disparaging his father in any way. He could never dream of telling his father that he had been unsatisfied with his bride. So he made it work. He _forced_ himself _not_ to be unsatisfied. It was the noble and honorable thing to do, and Tanabi felt that if he didn't at least _try_ to love Yohana, she never would have been able to find love elsewhere.

And so it went. Tanabi and Yohana had managed for twenty years under this arrangement. Neither was truly satisfied, but neither were unhappy, either. They did what they could to make the best of the situation; and they worked hard at it. In the beginning, it had only been for the sake of their parents, but as time wore on, it became for the sake of each other as well. After twenty years, perhaps it could have been called love of some sort. Not necessary romantic love (despite the fact that they still engaged in marital relations), but they most definitely made themselves feel like they were a cohesive family; and love is always the foundation of family.

But then Yohana became pregnant, and she snapped.

Yohana had never been emotionally sturdy to begin with, but she was nearly psychotic when she became pregnant. After years of fighting depression, induced by a life that she felt overall had not been kind to her, the emotional and hormonal strains of a difficult pregnancy ravaged her mind. Tanabi tried to help her, but he was at a complete loss. Yohana refused to leave their bedroom, shunning medical attention, insisting that she was perfectly fine; and although it was obvious to Tanabi that she was not well, he was unable to convince her to talk to anyone. She wouldn't even talk to him; which was agonizing. Tanabi was not a man with many friends, and her silence had hurt his soul.

It had been a sad, tragic end. Driven suicidal by her choleric depression, he returned from the office one day to find that Yohana had ingested a poison, hoping to end both the life of her baby and herself. Tanabi had tried to act quickly, but despite his extensive expertise in medical kido, had only been able to rescue his daughter. Despite his best efforts, though, the poison had permanently scarred his baby's complexion, leaving large blotches, moles, and blemishes all over her body. Considering Tanabi had been lucky enough to prevent brain damage, it was a small price to pay; but it still tortured him. It foreshadowed the many failings he would have with her as a parent.

Tanabi did everything he could for Yohana, and in the end, she had almost killed his only child.

The anguish had been unimaginable. He had cared and nurtured this woman for two decades, but it had been for naught. Tanabi couldn't even be mad at Yohana - quite possible the only true friend he ever had - for she clearly hadn't been in her right mind. The despair made him indescribably angry, so angry that Tanabi wanted to burn the world. Still, he had a duty to his House, to his father, and most importantly to his daughter. It was his obligation to raise Ichihime as best as he could. So for the sake of his daughter, he picked up the shambles of his life, pieced his sanity back together, and tried to move forward.

Back then, Tanabi would have readily admitted he had become a bit unhinged - his fuse had definitely become shorter - but he tried to move forward. He hired concubines to provide himself an outlet; he studied the forbidden kido to distract himself; he became more and more involved in political affairs so that he didn't have to focus on the pain in his own House. He tried to move forward. Moving forward for the sake of his daughter. It was the only way. He must. Tanabi swallowed his rage and cursed Fate in silence, but he put on the most serene face he could; all for the sake of Ichihime. He tried his best to get everything he could for her: a good education, an opportunity to ascend the ranks in the Gotei 13 under the care of her prestigious uncle, a distinguished husband from the Four Houses and the Royal Guard.

But that had fallen to pieces.

The piece of shit that flaming-haired groom called a father had left his daughter in chaotic misery; broken and shattered and bitter, as unloved and second-rate as her tormented mother had been. Tanabi would never have had the right to rebuke his father-in-law Shihoin Tamanaka for passing Yohana off as a replacement for Yoruichi, but for Fate to do the same to his own daughter, burdening her with the shame of unwanted goods? The rage that smoldered inside him was beyond imagination.

The unbearable aspect was that Ichihime had blamed him. Blamed him for scaring away her intended - that his bitter cynicism and anger with the world had made her loneliness his fault. Whether Tanabi could accept that as the truth or not, it didn't matter - Ichihime hated him now; and Tanabi detested the world for it. The world had spit on his future, and on his daughter's future. It had torn the one thing he still cared about from him; and so as far as he was concerned, the world could suffer armageddon. He didn't care anymore. He had given the world every last ounce of patience he had, and it had given him nothing but problems.

They world would pay for what they did to him - shaming him and his family name, teaching his daughter that her father wasn't worth her respect, even having the gall to blame him for his wife's death. To accuse of him of abusing Yohana, neglecting her, crushing her spirit - to suggest that he had not been anything better than the absolute best husband he was capable of being? It was the ultimate insult to his dignity and to his pride. He had never raised so much as a finger to that woman; and here they think he did violence to her? _Unbelievable._ Such brazen, despicable accusations based on nothing but judgemental stupidity, how _dare_ they. Tanabi would slaughter them all.

None of them deserved any of his respect anymore. Certainly not Kuchiki Byakuya; that pompous ass. Tanabi envied him endlessly. To have been able to choose his own wife, ignoring the horrid politics of nobility? Since when did that brat deserve a free pass? Yohana never had a choice to say no to Tanabi, why should Kuchiki Rukia have? Did Tanabi deserve to die alone? Was that fair to him? This isn't the petty world of commoners - love and romance aren't part of the package. You marry who your Head of House says you marry, you have babies, and you keep the Royal Bloodline alive. That's your job, and you don't back down from it. Your whole life as a noble is to raise your children, to save them and nurture them, protect them and love them, and finally teach them to do a better job at it than you did. That pompous ass. Kuchiki Byakuya thought he could escape his responsibilities to the future - now was the time of reckoning. That arrogant 6th division captain would open up that chamber and his heart would shatter in a thousand pieces, just like Tanabi's had.

He, his sister, her groom, and the groom's whole wretched family of oathbreakers - they could all go to Hell. They, and everyone else. Every last one of those damned shinigami could kiss his hairy ass.

In particular, Tanabi was tempted to cut off the braided ponytail of Unohana Retsu, a longtime rival in the art of kido. She was the only one he knew whose braid was longer than his, and it offended his sensibilities. The long braid of royalty was not to be worn by a woman whose mother was a prostitute; no matter how powerful a captain she was.

Yet there would be time aplenty for him to exact revenge on his other rivals. They had never respected his genius, and they would most certainly pay - but now was the time to settle matters of nobility, not professional conflicts. There would be many opportunities to attend to matters of military; including cutting out the eyeballs of that Orphan Lieutenant.

Tanabi was only three feet away from the doors to the seclusion chamber when his side screamed in pain. His body instantly began microconvulsing in shock, and some euphoric anesthetic was paralyzing him from further movement. After a few moments, he felt the sharp pain of a blade being ripped out of his body; and he regained his ability to move. "What the...?" Tanabi put his hand to his side and felt sticky, wet crimson fluids gurgling forth from the stab wound.

Turning around, he saw the purple-scarfed Orphan Bridesmaid pulling away from him; golden dagger in hand. His blood was on it, but it began to seep into the blade; slowly disappearing until the golden edge brightly reflected the midday sun.

Tanabi looked at Ise Nanao with disdain, clutching his side and trying to apply medical kido to seal the wound. "How come you're not stuck in the timestop?" he winced, his side oozing.

"Do you think no one ever tried to kill a bride before?" Nanao scowled back. "You're an _idiot,_ Banzo Tanabi. Did you think the First Queen, Zohoin Toba, made this scarf because she needed something to match her purple hair?"

-:-

_A long time ago_

"Shosho-sama, I have come to swear my allegiance as your knight-in-arms."

Hajimata got a raised eyebrow in response. It wasn't skepticism, just surprise; but the nonchalant tone he received made Percival wonder if he was going to go home empty-handed. "And what, dear say, brings you to seek me out and make such an oath?"

He bowed deeply. "There isn't a single soldier under your command who wouldn't, your Excellency."

"You didn't answer my question."

"Your Excellency, your leadership inspires me, and I wish to remain under your command."

"Is that so? What has changed that worries you?"

"Please forgive me, your Excellency," Hajimata answered. "The King has informed me of a pending promotion, and I while I cannot refuse, I wish to remain your humble officer. As your knight-in-arms, I could accept my promotion with the caveat that I remain in your service. It is the only way I feel that I will be able to perform my duties with a full heart and a strong will."

"It will not be easy. I am not merciful, not even to my finest officers."

"Your compliments are above my worth, General."

Hajimata was pleasantly surprised to hear a laugh escape from the otherwise stern features of his esteemed leader. "In my opinion, this is a ridiculous conversation, but I like you so I will humor you. _Arise,_ Hajimata-san. _Serve me,_ in any way I deem fit, until the day you die. Do not waver, and do not falter. Do not fall when faced with the tasks that I shall ask you to endure. _Serve me_ - support me, my mission, my purpose, and eventually, my freedom."

"As you wish," Hajimata replied with another bow. _"My life is your life, my soul is your soul, my hand is your hand."_

The powerful voice echoed thunderously all around them. _"I accept your binding oath, Hajimata Percival!"_

"Thank you, Shosho-sama."

-:-

_Back to the present_

Acknowledging that he was unaware of the scarf's origins would only have given her the upper hand, so Tanabi pretended as though she had said nothing at all. "Ah, look. The commoner who believes she can befriend a princess has come to play. _As if to think you'll do anything other than die alongside her!_" he sneered.

"Lay one finger on Rukia-san," Nanao glared, "and I'll personally slit your throat."

He scowled at her, gritting his teeth. Tanabi's side was really hurting, so he began to silently apply several more layers of medical binding spells. "Stabbing a man in the back is pretty dishonorable for a vice captain of the Gotei 13," he spat, distracted by the pain.

"Surprise is the best tactic," she answered. "but coming from someone about to commit assassination in a timestop, that's pretty hypocritical."

_MOOOOOOOOOOORRRREE! HUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUNGGRRRYYY! FFEEEDD MEEE!_ her zanpakutou was screaming, whipped up into a frenzy. The bloodlust was singing in Nanao's head; the sweet, ferrous crimson tang floating in the air as Tanabi's wound dripped on the floor. Nanao's strength was building, and her blade was tingling, glowing, chanting its name to be called out. Nanao and her Sister wanted blood, and they both knew they were going to get it.

_"Saya,"_ Nanao commanded, _"Fight!"_ Her golden knife unfurled into the pink fan that she always carried around, although this time, swirls and eddies of blood-red currents flowed through the fabric. It was only half saturated; but normally it got nothing at all and sat around practically useless, save for whacking Kyoraku Taicho when he annoyed her. Nanao had never given it this much blood before. Notably, she never had a reason to stab a person until now - only hollows.

Nanao could feel Saya's red eyes burning with a desire to suck this man dry. The dark-haired teenage girl inside her fan was impatient with temptation. Nanao's own eyes, hidden only behind contacts instead of her usual glasses, burned just as bright. She was absorbed in the moment, humming the opera that was blazing in her head. Nanao was in her element. The heady iron smell of blood, the euphoric rush of battle, the adrenaline that came with being a shinigami; a psychopomp, a god of the dead, a harbinger of death, a messenger of the grave.

"Clever," Banzo admitted. "Getting matching fans for the other bridesmaids so you could smuggle in your own zanpakutou. But a fan makes for a pretty pathetic weapon."

Nanao swiftly waved her large fan, and the sonar crashed right into Banzo Tanabi's body, fueled and amplified by the consumed blood. The sound waves were so powerful that they immediately caused his pancreas and spleen to burst, as well as rupturing his lower intestines. The pain was so excruciating that Tanabi couldn't even scream.

"You speak a lot of trash for someone who's just standing there and bleeding," she retorted, not withholding an ounce of confidence from her voice.

The anti-clotting effects of her zanpakutou did not help his internal hemorraging, but Tanabi was a tough man. He didn't get to be a Major General just because his father left him the position. He didn't have his zanpakutou with him, and if the scarf shielded her against a timestop, it would certainly protect her against any other kido spell; so he was forced to use hand-to-hand combat.

Nanao noticed his moment's delay and quickly plotted out a course of action. She _had_ to get in a good position - this was the _worst_ kind of warfare. Although many people had already left the dance floor in anticipation for the bride and groom to emerge, there were still tons of frozen people scattered about. The potential for someone to get caught in the crossfire of a kido battle was way too high; Nanao needed to keep the fight contained. At the same time, she would get slaughtered in close combat because of her miserable hand-to-hand and weapon skills. Nanao's strength was in long-range assaults, but that was going to be exceedingly difficult here.

All she needed to do was stall for time long enough to let the wound wear him down. Within milliseconds, her sharp mind had calculated a battle plan. If she could time this just right, it would work perfectly...

Using his reiatsu reserves to maintain his strength and preserve his ability to fight through the grave injuries, Tanabi charged at her. Nanao was quick on her feet, though, and used shunpo to run around the room, making him chase after her through open pathways and away from the throngs of guests bedecked in their best clothing.

Finally, Nanao got herself into a good clearing by a security door, looking through the porthole to verify that her plan was going to work. _"Bahido #1: Smokescreen,"_ she cast. Excited to be able to finally put her theories to the test, Nanao quietly began a kido incantation for another spell.

A burst of smoke and ash clouded Tanabi's vision as he flashed right into it. He felt her whizz by him, firing tiny _Hado #4: White Lightnings_ at him. By instinct, he threw up a _Bakudo #8: Repulse_ to fend them off. When the smoke cleared, he saw her waiting for him, preparing an incantation for _Hado #90: Black Coffin._

Tanabi wasn't going to give her the chance to pull it off. He flashed forward, viciously punching her in the stomach. Nanao doubled over, unable to make a sound; and with his other hand, Tanabi punched downwards into the base of her skull.

Nanao landed on the floor, winded, and Tanabi savagely kicked her with all his might in the face, his boot leaving a mark on her cheek. He then grabbed her by the back of her collar, hauled her up, and hurled her into a stone column. Seeing that Nanao's nose wasn't yet broken and bleeding, he rectified that with a punch between her eyes. While he had her there, he punched her in the breast, just because he knew it would hurt.

"You are nothing but a complete waste of my time, Orphan! You were born a louse, and you will die a louse! You'll regret you weren't there for Aizen to put you in your place!" Not wanting to give her an opportunity to respond, he punched his knuckles into her throat, crushing her windpipe so she couldn't speak.

Tanabi then grabbed a stack of a dozen dishes from a nearby table, and proceeded to smash each one over her face as he berated her:

"How could you possibly think" _*smash*_ "that you could ever" _*smash*_ "play god with Fate?" _*SMASH*_

"Did you believe that you " _*smash*_ "could escape the cruel hand of Destiny?" _*SMASH*_

"That just because" _*smash*_ "you wear" _*smash*_ "some stupid scarf" _*smash*_ "that you could _become_ someone?" _*SMASH*_

_**"YOU ARE NOTHING"** *smash* **"BUT"** *smash* **"AN"** *smash* **"ORPHAN!"**_

Unsatisfied that he hadn't done enough damage, he grabbed a metal chair and swung it down on top of her shins, shattering them. The sound of broken bones brought him sadistic glee, so he broke her kneecaps and then her elbows.

His lust for sadism not yet fulfilled, he began to break her fingers one by one, annoyed that the Orphan Lieutenant refused to become conscious. "How does it feel, Orphan? How does it feel to be reminded that you are nothing more than a piece of shit in a gutter?" He then broke three fingers at once, and the limpid body beneath him awoke and let out a jarring, mangled scream of pain. Excited to hear her agony, he bit off her thumb and spit it on the floor.

Picking up the battered and bloody Nanao by her hair, he yelled into her face. "You think you're good enough to contend with _me,_ Orphan!" His cruelty still unsatiated, he grabbed a fork and took it to her eyes. "Ise Nanao, _this_ is what happens when you challenge _me!_" Finally, grabbing a steak knife, he plunged it into her heart, spit down her throat, and dropped the corpse like a sack of potatoes.

_"Pathetic,"_ he muttered under his breath. "It's obvious why you became Shunsui-ojisama's vice captain. The only thing you could ever contribute to him was the hole between your legs."

* * *

_Bet you didn't see **that** ending coming.  
Before you flame me to death, read today's Crossover Cup._

_Next Chapter: I would like to think that there is not a single one of you who could predict the entirety of what's coming next.  
**THE CLIMAX CONTINUES! PANSIES, COWARDS, WHINERS, AND SISSIES GO HOME!**_

* * *

~~Crossover Cup!~~

Today's special guest: _Yumi Azusa,_ from Soul Eater!

_Nathan:_ Welcome to the program, Yumi.

_Yumi:_ Thanks for having me.

_Nathan:_ You're the academic type, let's hear your thoughts.

_Yumi:_ First, what's with the whole anti-arranged-marriage bent here? Both Tanabi and Byakuya had bad experiences with the idea.

_Nathan:_ Now that you mention it, I actually didn't notice. It's just a plot device. I myself had an arranged marriage, and I'm extraordinarily happy and love my wife dearly. So I hope no one takes offense.

_Yumi:_ Well, okay then. Speaking of, I am immediately struck by the literary parallels between Banzo Tanabi and Kuchiki Byakuya.

_Nathan:_ Really? You noticed?

_Yumi: (stares at Nathan)_

_Nathan:_ Right, of course you noticed.

_Yumi:_ It's really rather remarkable how each of them reacted to the death of their wives. It makes me want to go back and read the Byakuya passages, hunting for clues.

_Nathan:_ Well, go ahead, by all means be my guest.

_Yumi:_ I'm already your guest.

_Nathan:_ Uh, right. Anyway, I wanted to introduce you to someone. Everybody's been joking that you would have been the perfect zanpakutou for Ise Nanao, so I wanted to introduce you.

_Nanao:_ Hi, Yumi. Nice to meet you.

_Yumi (flabbergasted):_ Uh, yes, a pleasure.

_Nanao:_ What is it, Azusa-san?

_Yumi (sweat drop forms on head):_ Uh, I thought you were dead.

_Nanao:_ Well, very clearly, Azusa-san, I am dead. I am a shinigami, after all. We're all dead.

_Yumi (another sweat drop forming):_ That's not what I meant. Weren't you just stabbed in the chest?

_Nanao:_ What do you mean, I'm standing right here.

_Yumi:_ Did you read this chapter at all!

_Nanao (reads chapter):_ Interesting.

_Yumi:_ Then you should be dead!

_Nanao:_ But this is an omake.

_Yumi:_ But still!

_Nanao:_ Well, we can ask Nathan-san.

_Yumi:_ Nath-- hey, where did he go?

_(Nathan is nowhere to be found)_

_Nanao:_ That bozo, he's probably hiding from all the flames he's gonna get.

_Nathan (offstage, mumbling to himself):_ I better not lose any readership over this....


	38. Isabella Cantare Rosselli

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Bleach.

**_Translator's Notes:_**_ 1) 'Oyaji' means 'Dad'. 2) 'Sayonara' means 'goodbye'. _

_**Author's Note:** As a fanfic author, I consider "Saved For You, Kuchiki" to be my magnum opus. This is not the final chapter, by any means - we still have Act IV - but the story has been building until this moment. So many of you have provided such tremendous praise and encouragement, and I'm glad you have all been so entertained. (I'm even more glad you didn't flame me for offing Nanao last chapter.)_

_If I can kindly ask you, when you're done with this chapter, take the time to answer the few questions at the bottom. Fanfic doesn't come with commercials, so consider the time I've invested and humor me. Thanks._

_So here we go - all of you 1000+ readers (!) out there, hold on to your seats. It's going to be a wild ride. -njx_

_

* * *

_

_**Death.**_

_Darkness._

_Blackness._

_Void._

_Vacuum._

_Oblivion?_

_No--- I don't think so. Not yet. No oblivion. Just death._

The girl's senses were already fading into the background as she began to move through dimensions, but she had one last promise to make.

_I'm sorry, Sister. I couldn't last. I simply wasn't made to. I didn't want to die on your wedding day, but I guess Fate has other plans._

_I'll make it up to you someday. I promise._

_Somehow. I **will** make it up to you someday. I don't know how, but I will. ____Even if I never find you again, I'll redeem myself somehow. I promise._

She took one last look at the grotesque body behind her, and her mind was filled with thoughts and words that she only knew before she had been born. A black pit of energy consolidated in her chest, and she could feel her memories receding. Her vision blurred starkly, and she remembered almost nothing; but a handful of buried memories temporarily resurfaced; long enough for her to say one last farewell:

_Goodbye, Shinigami. Maybe one day, I'll see you again._

-:-

Kuchiki Ginrei had few regrets in life, but they all pertained to Rukia; and today of all days they registered heavily on his mind.

His first regret was that he had initially opposed her adoption into the family. Ginrei had only a year to learn anything about her before he had moved into the Royal Guard, where he was forced to watch her grow from afar. With the benefit of this outside perspective, he had been blessed to learn that his opposition had been foolish.

It had been a difficult journey with unusually challenging tribulations, but Kuchiki Rukia had grown to be the epitome of grace and class wrapped around the core of an iron-willed samurai. Her presence in the family had been a positive influence on Byakuya, and despite her history of... "casual experiences" for a Sereitei princess, she brought great honor to the family. Ginrei regretted that she never got to hear him call her 'granddaughter'; not even once. He was at least satisfied that his grandson had been able to repair his grandfather's mistake.

His only other regret was that accepting the crown left him locked in this dimension, able to observe but unable to leave. Having sat in the royal throne, it was too risky for him to depart; especially since the recent rebellion. His safety could only be assured in the King's Realm, where the safeguards designed to protect the Spirit King could be guaranteed. Although Ginrei could certainly fight for himself, the penalty of ever needing to do so would be too great. Despite it mostly being a figurehead position, the Spirit Crown was an important part of Soul Society history and culture. If the Spirit King ever did anything to jeopardize the monarchy, the impact on the order and stability of the status quo would be unthinkable.

It was just as he taught Byakuya: just like the only reason nobility exists is to create order, so too does a King exist for the same reason. Abandoning the strict regulations of the crown was even more severe than abandoning the rules of nobility. Besides, the Royal Guard was not a limousine service. Mobilization for something short of grand rebellion would result in a massive loss of respect in the division zero soldiers, whose sole purpose was to protect him from the likes of Aizen; may the traitor's name be crushed to dust.

As much as it bothered him, Ginrei would have to experience it from afar. He _was_ looking forward to the special dinner with his wife, Kaori, that evening in honor of the wedding; but it would not quite suffice, no matter how much Jirobu-kun would try to entertain them. No amount of juggled champagne glasses would replace the absence of family on a festive occasion.

Sighing audibly before taking a sip of his tea, Ginrei was worried. Rather than a bright, cheery, song-like flow of spiritual pressure, he could feel the wedding tainted with a gothic reiatsu of death. He was not sure why; nor did he understand why this dark reiatsu was increasing - but whatever would happen, his regret burned a hole in his chest.

Today of all days, he regretted being unable to rush to Rukia's aid.

-:-

_Back to the here and now_

Tanabi's rage finally settled down as he reminded himself that he had yet to save some of it for the bride and groom. Readjusting his kimono, he walked over to the doors. He would deal with the Orphan Lieutenant's corpse later; if Shunsui-ojisama ever saw it, Tanabi would be in trouble.

Enough of this child's play, he thought. I'm going to sodomize that couple with their own zanpakutou.

He was just about to open the doors when a hard, downwards yank on his braided hair pulled him down to floor. His skull hit the stone with a crack, and his vision blurred. All he could see was a wooden clog stomping down at his throat, so he quickly tilted his head to the side so that it struck the side of his neck where his muscles were. It hurt like a bitch, but it was far less lethal than having his voicebox crushed.

The tension on his hair was suddenly released, and he had a horrible feeling. Standing up quickly, Tanabi reached up to the back of his head to find his blonde hair cut off, the long blond braid he had been growing for over a century. Looking around, he couldn't find anything or anyone besides the frozen guests and Ise's dead body.

"Who's there?" he called out. "Come out and fight me like a man!"

Tanabi felt a flicker of reiatsu, and then a woman's voice came from behind him. "Tch. Men. Always thinking that you can do it better than we can."

He spun around to face the threat, but instead received a chair in the face. The swing hurt like a monster and broke some of his teeth, and had knocked him backwards onto the floor again. The assailant threw the chair down on top of him before he could recover and then flashed back out of vision. Tanabi shook off the daze, kicked off the chair and scrambled back to his feet, finally getting a clear view of his new opponent.

But it was just that miserable Orphan Lieutenant, standing ten feet away, holding his severed braid with a smug, overconfident smirk.

With a condescending stare, she tossed Tanabi's severed blonde braid over to where he thought her corpse was supposed to be - but it wasn't there. Instead, the maimed body was now nothing more than a busted-up white humanoid doll. "...A gigai?"

"Soul Projection. Another one of those 'inane bahido theories' of mine," Nanao said triumphantly. "You didn't really think I was going to let you beat me up that badly, did you?" she sneered. "And here I always thought I was a terrible actor."

Completely enraged, Tanabi unleashed a _Hado #63: Thunder Roar Cannon_ at her.

Nanao reacted quickly - even though the scarf would protect her, the blast could easily kill any of the numerous civilians scattered about. "_Bahido #23: Necrosis Vacuum!_"

A massive, spiraling dragon's head emerged from her hands, bearing the mythic resemblance of the Ouroboros, the serpent that swallowed its own tail. The mighty jaws of the dark purple energy were ensnared in ephemeral chains, but the phantasm's flicking tongue reached forward. In a thunderous snap, the reptilian maw swallowed the roaring hado spell and dissolved into thin air, completely neutralizing the impending destruction.

Clearly frustrated, Tanabi prepared to charge again, but he was assaulted with thousands of little orbs of kido-based energy. "Your aim is worse than your intimidation tactics!" he shouted as he flashed to the left.

"_Bahido #17: Homing Spheres,_" Nanao taunted.

Tanabi barely had time to swear as the thousands of energy blasts swung around, changing paths mid-flight, and crashed into his back. Each one began to bury itself inside his body, weighing it down like lead. It was unlike any kido Tanabi had ever witnessed before.

"You know, Banzo Shosho, that's why I never wanted to work for you," she commented derisively. "I could never work for somebody so stunningly opaque. I swear even Omaeda must be smarter than you."

Nanao was done letting Saya's initial wound wear him down - now she was getting serious. Fanning Saya at him again, she overloaded Tanabi with sound waves; watching his skin begin to bubble and blister, eventually bursting and oozing as blood began to trickle out everywhere. Unless he was burning reiatsu like a madman, she was sure his lungs should have collapsed by now; but he was a prince of the Four Houses. He had more reiatsu stored up than she could easily calculate.

Tanabi tried to march on her again, but it was much harder this time. His unclotting blood meant that he was losing fluids rapidly, the added weight of the spheres inside his body was making it hard for him to move quickly, and the continuing blast of sound waves was beginning to distort his senses. The immense pain, both inside and out, did not help - no matter how much reiatsu he had to keep him going, he was still inhibited by his injuries. Nanao easily evaded him as he tried to get back into close-quarter combat, but he had succeeded in getting his back to a crowd. With the wedding guests behind him, Nanao was forced to stop using her zanpakutou; as the sound waves were too big to pinpoint at him sniper-style.

"You think you're so important, Orphan? I'm going to crush your head like a tomato!"

" 'Orphan', huh?" Nanao smirked. "Banzo Tanabi, surely you know the Origin of the Four Houses."

Tanabi paused to catch his breath, glancing at her warily. Even Ise Nanao didn't spout such random gibberish.

Nanao recited an abbreviated version of the passage, fully aware that as a Head of House, Tanabi had memorized the entire thing: _"Shiku lost his family to the monsters of the night; and in his suffering agony, was forced to bury his wife and thirteen children. Their lifeblood seeped into his skin and merged with his core. So the white ribbon of this soul, faced with the blood of his most cherished, chose to dye itself a crimson red."_

"Who do you think you are, Orphan, that you can recite my origins to _me!_" he yelled, his voice fuming.

"8th Division Vice Captain, Ise Nanao," she stated proudly, "and the reincarnated 8th child of First King Chibaniki Shiku." She leveled her gaze at him as her reiatsu haze began to flare in her eyes. "It is my blood that gave birth to all shinigami -- the same blood that runs in your veins; _you fat, pompous pile of rat feces."_

_"Bullshit!"_ he yelled at her. Furious but out of strength, he switched tactics. With a growl, Tanabi grabbed a nearby frozen waiter by the throat. "Give up, Ise Nanao, or this puddle-of-piss commoner dies!"

"Let him go, Tanabi," she commanded threateningly. "Taking a hostage won't get you anywhere - don't sacrifice the last shred of dignity you have."

Tanabi cackled at her, guffawing in outrageous mockery. "As if _you_ could lecture _me_ on dignity? You _pitiful_ excuse for a shinigami! You're nothing but a brat behind a desk! You think they gave you that badge because you _deserved_ it? Hah! I bet that beloved captain of yours never told you the truth!"

Nanao froze. _"...What?"_

Tanabi pointed at her and laughed. "_HAH HAH!_ _FOOL!_ You never realized? You never knew that old Shunsui promoted you into a desk job so that you would never see combat again? That in truth, he didn't have the heart to tell his darling little Nanao-chan that you're nothing but a complete failure? A waste of shinigami spirit particles? That you can't protect yourself with that useless zanpakutou of yours, much less your comrades? And you think _I'm_ a disgrace? You stupid orphan, have you no common sense? I thought they said you were the smart one!"

Intense, smoldering indignation permeated through every fiber in her being as Nanao ground her teeth in repressed outrage. Nanao knew she should never believe a word Tanabi said, but it jived with her long-held suspicions; and hearing it from him of all people made her blood boil.

Tanabi was enjoying how much he was twisting the knife in her side. "And of all things, you proved your own incestuous disgrace, didn't you? _Sleeping with the man you call your father?_ You can criticize me all you want, Orphan, but I command more dignity while shitting on the pot than you will _ever_ have in your entire lifetime! Dignity? _HAH!_ What in the world could you possible say to _me!_"

_Blade, Badge, Bed._

Nanao had no idea how he knew all of this, but it didn't matter: _three strikes, you're out._

"I've got something to say to you, alright," she seethed. "Sing, Saya:_ **Convocare il nono cerchio dell'inferno** _-- Bankai, _you motherfucking son of a bitch."_

-:-

Kirio's blade began to fidget. Dear heavens, what's going on now?

Her zanpakutou instantly went berserk, screaming and yelling and shaking for some reason. Kirio's sword was normally pretty laid back, so this was a bit alarming. What's wrong?

_What do you mean, 'what's wrong'? Can't you feel it! It's been sixteen years! Sixteen years! How come you aren't moving that big ass of yours!_

Hey, just because I like to bake brownies doesn't mean I overindulge. My bottom is perfectly petite, thank you very much.

_I'm a freaking sword, my ass is two inches in diameter; to me your ass will always be big. Now quit arguing, get a move on!_

And just exactly where am I supposed to go?

_To the observation deck!_

And just what exactly am I supposed to be looking for?

_Goddamnit, crazy cat lady, just go!_

What's wrong with cats? Kirio frowned as she headed on her way.

Her zanpakutou sighed. It was hard to be annoyed with such a sweet woman, but being stuck in the Royal Guard for so long had made her a bit oblivious sometimes. When you spend all day and night with people whose spiritual pressure could flatten an espada, faint traces on the opposite side of the interdimensional channel got lost in the noise. _Nevermind, there's nothing wrong with cats. Just keep your eyes open and thank me later._

Alright, deary.

_Please don't call me that._

Kirio smiled. Her katana was a bit self-loathing sometimes - Kiro readily admitted that it was probably embarassing for such a fierce weapon to have such a caring and considerate personality. "Sorry about that. Now where's Oyaji...?"

_No! Don't tell Jirobu-san!_

Why?

_Because he doesn't want to see this._

Are you sure?

Her katana sighed again. Jirobu-san wouldn't have the heart to watch this; it would completely kill him. _Kirio-sama, please, just go._

Kirio was concerned, and picked up the pace. Are you really sure _I_ wanna see this?

Her katana's anxiety dwindled and was replaced by a warm, sunshine-like glow. _Yeah, you will. I promise. Now go!_

"Okay, okay; I'm going, I'm going," she smiled back.

-:-

Bankai? You have to be _kidding_ me, Tanabi thought to himself. That's ridiculous. It has to be another 'bahido' parlor trick. _'Summon the Ninth Circle of Hell'_? Ridiculous. What a lame attempt at intimidation.

But as his denial fortified, gusts of wind forced their way through the hall as the earth and sky began to tremble in anticipation. The blast of reiatsu quaked the frozen inhabitants as the grand visage of the Gates of Hell instantly materialized behind the 8th division vice captain. Their size filled every last open inch of space in the center of Kodachi Hall, and would have terrified the throng of guests if they had any idea what was happening. When the musty, ominous iron doors opened wide, they revealed a spectacle that had rarely been witnessed in thousands of years.

An entire legion of nine hundred Handoshi elite, white hair and orange eyes gleaming against their ragged grey cloaks, stood behind the threshhold. Of course, Tanabi had no idea who or what they were, since he had never even heard of such a thing; but they all looked eager to kill him, so it didn't really matter. He dropped his hostage and began to survey the newcomers.

One of the men in the front stepped forward. Unlike the horde of others behind the threshold who wore nothing in their hair, his contained a distinct blue ribbon that tied back his shoulder-length white strands. He had a sharp chin and lanky build, and could be described more as 'pretty' than one would say 'handsome'. Nonetheless, his effeminate features were combined in such a way that he looked distinctly masculine. Most prominent, though, was the massive, medieval iron shield that at the moment was slung over his shoulder. It looked like one swing of it could knock down Senzaikyu all by itself. When he threw a portion of his cloak over his other shoulder, Tanabi could see a blue rose had been embroidered over the man's left breast, with a prominent 'VIII' positioned underneath it.

He was flanked by an incredibly familiar woman, but the white hair and orange eyes made it hard to immediately establish her identity. She carried a traditional katana hung at her side. Her uniform was also embroidered in a similar location, although the insignia above the 'VIII' was a red diamond, which matched the red ribbon that tied part of her white hair in a small bun.

The man completely ignored Tanabi and spoke directly to the Orphan Lieutenant. "Brigadier General of the 8th Handoshi Legion, Chibaniki Saya-dono, so good to see you again."

"Cavaliere," Nanao greeted him formally. "Looks like the whole legion is here. I was expecting a simple platoon. What's the occasion?"

"Well, you know how it is," he joked. "One for each unforgivable sin to purge."

Nanao laughed darkly. "It doesn't surprise me that he's so deserving."

Banzo Tanabi interrupted this seemingly pleasant exchange. "Who the flying fuck are you, Pussyface?"

The man pierced him with an iron gaze, and Tanabi's further protestations died in his throat as though it had taken him by a vise. "Colonel of the 8th Legion, Hajimata Percival; knight-in-arms to the Brigadier General," he answered, gesturing to Nanao as though it was obvious to the universe who he was talking about.

The woman introduced herself as well, although she had an amused grin on her face. "Chief Sergeant of the 8th Handoshi Legion, Hikifune Miyako; Official Doomsayer over Aizen's Espada."

Nanao was startled as the realization came to her. "...Shiba San-Seki!"

"Good to see you again, Ise Fukutaicho," Miyako smiled warmly.

See? _Some_ people recognize me without my glasses, Nanao snarked to herself.

" 'Shiba'?" Hajimata asked, puzzled.

Tanabi sneered an interruption. "Damn bitch married into that family of wretches. No wonder Kirio's little sister went to Hell."

Hajimata promptly snapped his fingers. He wasn't going to allow anyone to get away with offending his best soldier. A platoon of ten Handoshi Sergeants came out of the crowd and immediately seized Banzo Tanabi. He struggled, but it was no use. They held him tight, forcing him onto his knees with his head pulled back to look up into a mob of eery orange irises. He tried flaring his reiatsu, but he was already too weak for it to do anything - he had used too much of his massive reiatsu reserves trying to sustain damage from his battle with Nanao. Whatever he had left he was using to keep himself alive.

Miyako gave Colonel Hajimata a gracious gesture, as if to thank him; and then rolled her eyes as she added, "I can see my step-brother hasn't changed one bit."

A realization came to Nanao. "You grew up with him? Wow, that must have been _awful._"

Miyako glared at Tanabi with a venomous, murderous, grinding stare as she answered Nanao with a dour, angry voice. "Don't even get me started about the peepholes. I wouldn't be surprised if he put them in his own daughter's shower; that sick, demented pervert."

Nanao had known Shiba Miyako for longer than a lifetime, and in all her many years, had _never_ seen a look so menacing on Miyako's face. That aside, Nanao made a mental note to pass that little relayed tidbit of information on to Ichihime.

Hajimata then gave Nanao the formal salute, bringing his fist over his heart. "Reporting for duty, Shosho-sama." Miyako followed suit.

Nanao raised her hand to them, indicating she was deferring the offer for further assistance. Hajimata gave a wide grin, knowing that it could only mean the Brigadier General was going to do things herself.

Lieutenant Ise Nanao proudly marched over and looked down into the eyes of Banzo Tanabi, which were otherwise pointed at the ceiling. "Any last words, Tanabi?"

_"DIE!"_ he shouted.

Nanao gave him a demonic, sinister, malevolent grin as her hair turned bleach white and her eyes seared into a pumpkin-tinted glow. "Did that already. _Twice._"

She laughed - a dark, threatening, ominous laugh that did not forebode well for him. "Let me explain something to you, you sorry disgrace for a Four Houses prince. You may have that wealth of reiatsu from your pure blood, Banzo Tanabi--- but no matter how powerful you are, _you're still ten thousand years removed from the source."_

Tanabi's bones shook as her entire body lit up in a freakish, diabolical blast of orange reiatsu. The flare was so fierce that it extended in a sphere of thirty feet in all directions, the haze nearly exploding the roof off of Kodachi Hall. Tanabi's lungs felt like they were instantly flattened, and his brain nearly shut down at the awesome, mighty, unimaginable display of force. It was thousands and thousands of times more powerful than anything he had ever even heard of. The spiritual pressure was _staggering -_ inconceivable; mind-bending; beyond the facilities of mortal comprehension.

It was for only but a second, but it was enough. For the first time that evening, Banzo Tanabi felt _fear_ - true, raw, real, bone-chilling, teeth-grinding, gut-crawling, spine-quivering _fear._

The men and women of the Handoshi elite, however, cheered in appreciation and excitement. They were once again going to see their beloved general in action. Once more, they would see Saya Shosho share the suffering duty of one who enacts judgement. Over a century ago, they mourned the loss of her leadership, her wisdom and intelligence, her iron hand against the wicked, and her unwavering dedication to her troops; inspiring morale wherever she went - and morale is hard to come by in Hell. For the nearly immortal Handoshi, it had been a mere fraction of a second since they last served under her, but it had been all too long. Their queen had finally returned.

Deciding to return the favor from when she asked him to bequeath the Four Posts, she spit in Tanabi's eye before sentencing him with the grim voice of her bankai; its shrill timbre echoing thunderously throughout the hall as she placed her hand on his forehead:

_"Hell hath spoken:** Descend into the dark abyss of madness.**"_

Tanabi was instantly screaming. Thousands of years worth of pain and suffering filled his consciousness. He was no longer himself - instead, he was a victim burned at the stake. He died of cancer, was hit by a truck, and eaten by rabid, foaming dogs. His lungs choked on the fumes of gas chambers, his organs were crushed under the weight of a collapsing building in an earthquake, his fingernails melted away by a vat of industrial acid that had spilled on him. His eyes were bleeding of radiation poisoning, his kidneys thrashed with stones, his chest strained under emphysema, and his arm was cut off by a sword.

His heart cried as he became a woman raped a hundred times, a man in prison violated a thousand times, and a child molested a million times. His soul shattered as he was subjected to abject starvation and poverty, to the ravaging withdrawal of alcoholism and drug addiction, and the horrifying humiliation of a woman who had to whore for food. His sanity unhinged as he was beaten by his father, drowned by his mother, and was then forced to drink the blood of his children. His stomach heaved as he watched his own body be eaten by vultures, then witness someone stuff his mouth with his own filth, and then be hung with a noose made from his own hair.

He experienced the sorrow of the wife who discovers her husband philandering with her sister, the despair of a man whose ex-wife accuses him of molesting their daughters so she can deny him custody, the trauma of a child who sees their parents die, and the anguish of a parent who buries their own children. He felt it all, the horrid loneliness and despair of someone who can only imagine that no one else could ever experience the suffering they are enduring.

Banzo Tanabi, in that moment, lived a billion lives not worth living, saw a billion sights not worth seeing, and felt a billion emotions not worth feeling. It was only four seconds of what existence was like for the damned in the 9th Circle of Hell under the 63 Legions, but it was four seconds too many for even the strongest of souls.

It was what those six espada suffered every day under Miyako's hand, the ones who had been hideously evil murderers and rapists when they were humans aeons ago, before they even became class-F hollows. Miyako was more than ready to dole out punishment to those who had desecrated her and her family. She only wished she could get her hands on Aizen himself, but he was the personal property of the Great King of Hell at the moment, so Miyako supposed she could let it be.

Ise Nanao let go of him, but she knew that the mind of Banzo Tanabi had not survived. All traces of sanity had left him, and his incoherent babbling indicated that he likely had the consciousness of nothing greater than a grasshopper. The only thing he could do was sputter the name of the messenger, the harrowing agent of Death's Hand, the one true name of the very Handoshi who had sentenced his fate:

"S-S-Saya... Saya..... Saya... Saya-"

_**"-nara,"**_ Nanao spat, and slit his throat with a satisfying swipe of her blade.

-:-

"Miyako-chan!" Kirio beamed. "She's alive!"

_Well, not exactly._

"Well, technically, neither am I."

Her katana laughed. _I suppose you're right. Still, I thought you would want to know._

Kirio unsheathed her katana and gave the hilt a kiss. "Thank you so much!"

_Hey, enough with the cheek-pinching, Granny. Really, you overdo it sometimes._

Kirio let the 'Granny' go without comment. She was just happy that she had the chance to see her sister again.

-:-

Not wanting to leave a further mess, Nanao stabbed the dead man in the chest; letting her zanpakutou drink her fill. Her cavaliere was waiting for her to speak to him, but she let him wait; pausing to reminisce over the scars on her arm.

Each scar was a memory of a painful emotional conflict from previous battles - the times she had cut herself to feed her shikai. She had always made shallow cuts - anything more deep than that ran the risk of a ticket to the grave - but the scars were always permanent, no matter how superficial the cut was. Nanao had tried to use kido to remove the scars, but to no avail.

Prior to achieving shikai, Nanao's dagger was nothing more than your typical tanto; with no particularly unsual properties other than the fact that unlike most zanpakutou, it was made of gold. While beautiful, it had been highly impractical, so Nanao never really used it. Occassionally, she found it was useful for cutting watermelon, cantelope, or honeydew. Although Nanao heard that most zanpakutou hated being used for mundane purposes, her dagger had always liked fresh fruit. Nanao should have realized that was a bad sign, but at the time, she just chalked it up to to eccentricity.

Achieving shikai, though, had unlocked its assassination-like abilities in its unreleased state, all designed to make it easier to incapacitate and then drain its target. It was so dangerous that Nanao normally kept it around in shikai form most of the time, where it was suitable for little other than whacking her pesky captain. In hindsight, Nanao realized that such powerful abilities in an unreleased zanpakutou were clear indications of her true strength; but until now she was too repulsed by the fact that her zanpakutou asked her to feed it blood to even think about it.

Without blood to fuel it, the only thing Nanao's fan could so was radar surveillance and echolocation; which is fantastic for a tactician but miserable when face-to-face with a two-ton beast trying to eat you. All of those times, she had weakened herself so she would have the power to fight back a particularly vicious hollow that was immune to kido. Sonar doesn't do much harm unless it's particularly strong, and when the only blood available is your own, there's not much choice you have. Either risk fainting from blood loss, or get eaten alive. Not a great choice, but survival comes first. If you die, you failed your mission; and that was never acceptable to Nanao. Victory is _everything._

When Nanao first achieved shikai - the first time she had turned her tanto into a golden fan with pink fabric - she didn't realize it had any peculiar qualities. She just assumed that the radar was in line with her tactical skills, and used it accordingly. Although she was surprised that the command to release it was "Fight" rather than something like "Search" or "Scan", she initially didn't ponder it too much. In her first few missions after achieving shikai, Nanao had been so excited by the power increase that she didn't even use her tanto at all - she was having too much fun blasting hollows to smithereens with kido ten times more powerful than before.

But on her fourth mission with her platoon, Nanao (who had still been a 7th seat at the time) found herself face to face with a new breed of hollows that were immune to kido. It would later be discovered that, like Metastacia, they had been one of Aizen's many hollow experiments. Faced with a challenging enemy, Saya had revealed its hematological properties in the heat of battle. Shelving her disbelief in the face of immediate adversity, Nanao grazed her sheath arm; and then her neurotransmitters started firing off like someone had stuck her with a needle full of opium. Overcoming the shock of getting an orgasm in the middle of a skirmish, Nanao used her zanpakutou's fueled sound waves to fight back; causing the hollow's mask to crack like a glass shattering under a Soprano-1 belting out a high F.

Successful against these new kido-resistant hollow, Nanao's platoon were assigned to exterminate the remainder. Two missions later, Nanao and her platoon had finally eradicated them all. Nanao had been promoted to vice captain shortly thereafter. At the time, she believed it had been for her successful expeditions, but her celebration had been tempered by the fact that Kyoraku found out her secret. She had been careless - Nanao had cut too low on her sheath arm, and the scar showed past the sleeve of her shihakusho.

Kyoraku spotted it and got suspicious. Nanao wasn't vain by any means, but she always thought it was bad for morale to have superior officers walking around with scars, so she always healed them, Kyoraku correctly perceived that the presence of a scar on her arm was a red flag.

Nanao knew she couldn't lie to him, so she told him the truth but asked him to keep it out of her personnel file. Kyoraku accepted her request on the condition that he could tell the Soutaicho; and Nanao reluctantly agreed. Kyoraku had then convinced her she should never cut herself again:

_"A zanpakutou is supposed to serve its master; not the other way around, Nanao-chan."_

Nanao staunchly agreed to that principle, and never did so again. She was a strong-willed woman who would never dream of being anyone's slave - not a man's, and certainly not a bloodthirsty weapon's. _Especially_ one that could become easy to get addicted to, given the incredible high that it gave its victims.

She was lucky she never fell into that sort of thing. Saya's appetite revolted Nanao enough during those missions that even the euphoria wasn't enjoyable. But Nanao wasn't sure what would have happened if Kyoraku hadn't set her back on track - most of the time, he completely screwed up when dealing with her problems, but it was one of the few times he actually said just the right thing to her. The whole situation had been one of the rare occasions when Nanao was actually grateful for Kyoraku Shunsui's tendency to be overprotective. Had he not done so, who knows what would have happened to her by now. Possibly dead from blood loss; or worse, insane and rambling in the Rukongai somewhere, forgoing food and sleep and simply cutting herself over and over again to get high.

Nanao had always felt so disgusted with herself. A blood-sucking zanpakutou? I mean, really, who would believe that? Once someone got past the fact that it seemed ludicrous, it almost sounded trite and campy; as if someone had written an awful B-rated horror movie with Ise Nanao cast as the pathetically lame actress in a dead-end career. Of course, that was what made it so goddamn frightening. It wasn't a crappy movie meant to thrill an audience under the guise of entertainment. It was her own soul, for god's sake. Her own soul that demanded blood, that needed it, that wanted it - how horrible a person was she that she craved blood?

"I see you still aren't afraid of death," Hajimata commented, his voice not attempting to mask his shared sorrow.

Death. Ise knew everything there was to know about it. Her tanto, Saya, told her everything when she had donned the Queen's Royal Scarf earlier that morning; immediately forced to bend to Nanao's will under the crushing reiatsu of the First Queen's protection. Under duress, Saya told Nanao how she had died before shinigami existed, and had to serve instead as a Handoshi in the realm of Hell. How day and night for ten thousand years, Ise Nanao had existed only to punish the wicked; to cleanse them of their sins.

Saya knew all of this because memories are deliberately preserved when souls pass into the realm of Hell, and once one becomes a Handoshi, they never experience the Soul's Sleep when they pass from one world to the next. Instead, the Handoshi's memories are sealed inside the soulcore, which is the very essence of a shinigami's zanpakutou. For Handoshi who become humans, it might as well be the Soul's Sleep; but for those that eventually become shinigami, these sealed memories are difficult-yet-not-impossible to reach.

So now Nanao knew everything. How her spilled blood turned her father into the first shinigami. How when she finished her responsibilities in Hell, she was released to the real world. How her legacy of blood never strayed from her, since she was born as an anemic hemophiliac.

The history of fate had come full circle. When Nanao was almost eight years old in the world of the living, she died on her sister's wedding day. It was so stupid, too. She fell and cut her leg on a rock; normally a trivial problem for most but a life-threatening injury for a hemophiliac. Without the ability for her cut to clot, she had lost a lot of blood; and she was already anemic as it was. The doctors thought they knew what they were doing when they gave her a blood transfusion, but Nanao knew now that not everyone in that era of medicine fully understood the importance of blood types.

Nanao understood everything now. How she died on her sister's wedding day, an innocent child, given the wrong blood type in a procedure that was intended to save her life. How she was reborn for the first time as her own progeny - a shinigami, her life as the daughter of the First King trapped deep inside her tiny little blade. Why her blade was so bound in blood. Why it was so secretive. Why she had complete domination over kido and reiatsu manipulation - she had been unknowingly restraining a level of spiritual pressure that would make most people's heads explode.

Hajimata was right. Ise Nanao bore the burdens of death; stale, indifferent death. It was how she had the mental fortitude to survive the trauma of a lifelong career in the military. Blood and death defined the shinigami known as Ise Nanao. She couldn't deny it. Nanao _needed_ it. It was her darkest truth, an essential part of her soul that drove her ambitions: Ise Nanao would _never_ die again as a helpless little girl. If she was ever going to die a third time, Nanao wanted to do it soaked in her enemy's blood, taking her opponent with her to the grave and into the Gates of Hell; where she would serve the Handoshi legions, rising in the ranks until she again reported to the Great King of Hell himself. Death was not an ending for her - it was just another birthday.

"Hai," Nanao acknowledged with equal sorrow in her otherwise wisful voice. The black tint in her hair began to return as she released her Handoshi powers.

Nanao knew the incredible sacrifices she would have needed to make if she ever wanted to subjugate her zanpakutou on her own. All this time, her zanpakutou hadn't been fighting her, it had been _protecting_ her. She would have lost her mind if she had to revisit her gruesome history beyond the Gates of Hell all on her own. Nanao remembered how she had felt its pull, the call, the beatiful song that thrummed through her head this very moment. The spirits she had seen so long ago, all of those Handoshi in her armies that had loved and cherished her leadership and wanted her to come home - they were all spirits who served souls their damnation.

Nanao, though, had found something greater than a position of power. Isane's unwavering friendship. A sister Rukia. Lisa, who used to read to her as a child. Ashido, who used to bring back books from the real world for her. Unohana Retsu, who had been the best teacher and mentor she ever could have asked for. Kyoraku Shunsui, who despite the fact was going to get his ass completely beaten black and blue from her tomorrow, had been a father to her for over a century. All of it was more precious to Nanao than all the power in Hell.

Considering it would have taken all of said power to conquer her zanpakutou, there was no way Nanao could have achieved bankai on her own. So it was clear that Nanao's only choice was to cheat - to find some other way to force Saya to bend to her will. Nanao never expected to find such a pschologically traumatic history of harsh servitude hiding inside - in hindsight, maybe it would have been better if she never found out. On the other hand, though, she now knew the truth. The Queen's Royal Scarf, the companion to the King's Royal Band that Ichigo had given Rukia, had revealed a History of Fate that Ise could be truly proud of; as hard as that was to stomach.

It wasn't her zanpakutou that held her back all these years - _it was her own fear._ Nanao could never subjugate her blade in the past because she had been afraid; afraid of the only fear she had really ever known: _that maybe she was evil._

Seeing that Nanao was brooding, Miyako put a hand on her shoulder. "I understand," she said, joining the melancholy. Miyako was a good-hearted woman thrust into a task suited for someone with a cruel hand. She understood the duty of ending life, but Miyako was the farthest thing from cruel. Although it was her responsibility to inflict pain, it was not something she ever would have asked for; not even to punish the former 9th Espada who had spit on her dignity. "It's not an easy burden to bear, Ise-san --- but we must. It's a hard lesson."

Fate had been a cruel bitch, but now that Nanao knew the truth, she could no longer be afraid. Sometimes, taking a life was the morally correct thing to do - and spilling another's blood to protect her own would not make her wicked. Ten thousand years of torturing people would scar anybody, but Nanao _had_ to accept that they had all deserved it. It was indeed a hard lesson, but it all made sense to her: Nanao was finally free from guilt. She didn't have to worry that she couldn't feel one iota of remorse for killing scum - and considering how many Handoshi showed up to drag him into Hell, perhaps calling Banzo Tanabi scum was actually a compliment.

Hajimata slowly walked up to Nanao, and Miyako removed her hand to give them some space. Nanao tilted her head to look up at him, allowing herself to remember his centuries and centuries of loyalty and service. He had been her only real companion all of those years, the only one who she could share her feelings with in confidence; because he was bound to her by oath. "I missed you, Saya."

Nanao closed her eyes for a moment as she allowed her old lover a nostalgic kiss, but she then gently pushed him away. "Cavaliere," she said slowly. "I--- I'm Ise Nanao now."

A thin smile spread warmly across Hajimata's face. His service in Hell was up in only three hundred years. Percival was looking towards his future just as much as his brigadier general had before she departed for the world of the living, only a little bit more than a hundred and thirty years ago. "As you wish," he answered, invoking the same anwer he had given her so many times before throughout the millenia.

The remark gave Nanao a thoughtful smile, one that made her feel like she had finally achieved closure on her grim past. She didn't know how often she would have a need to invoke her bankai, but knowing that her own history was something that could save her and her comrades gave her a peace of mind that she had not known in a long while.

_Don't forget about the blood on the floor! We don't want Rukia-san to see that when she comes out!_

Nanao laughed. A bit of a glutton today, are we?

_Feast or famine, as they say._

Nanao shook her head, amused. As she pulled Saya from the exsanguinated corpse of Banzo Tanabi, she thought about the dead man's revelation. She wanted to be mad at Kyoraku, but she put her ire on hold. At the moment she was too overjoyed to realize that he had correctly predicted exactly what would happen between her and her zanpakutou. Saya, whose materialized form bore the resemblance of what Nanao had looked like when she lived as the First King's daughter aeons ago, had served her well today. Today, she was proud of her blade - proud of who she really was.

Nanao might even learn to like her zanpakutou after all. At the very least, it shared her same dark sense of humor.

-:-

The extra Handoshi soldiers who were not lucky enough to carry Tanabi's body into Hell worked quickly, double-checking the hall to make sure everything had been cleaned up after the fight. They scrubbed the floors to make sure that whatever Saya hadn't lapped up wouldn't show, and otherwise insured that the wedding would know nothing of their appearance.

Plenty of things had been disrupted, but the aim was to make sure that no one would realize or even suspect that a full-blown battle had taken place. Short of that, people would chalk it up to a mind fart, or deja vu, or some other randomly unexplained weirdness and go on their merry way. Nanao was pretty sure Omaeda would never notice the missing gigai; he wasn't exactly the sharpest tool in the box. Besides, she had been the one to request the gigais in the first place. If Omaeda ever came to her with questions, Nanao would take her glasses off and he would likely just cower in the corner.

Hajimata had already departed, personally escorting the body so that he could resuscitate the soul once it entered Hell. There, he would stand before the Great King of Hell to determine whether he was privileged enough to report to the Great King directly, or whether he would be sentenced to a particular circle and legion. In any event, Hajimata wanted to make sure he didn't disappoint his former commander and made sure that Tanabi was attended to right away.

Miyako, however, stayed behind. "Ise Fukutaicho," she interrupted Nanao, who was overseeing a large Handoshi cleanup crew.

"Yes, Miyako-dono?"

"If I'm not mistaken, this looks like a wedding amongst the Four Houses."

"Yes! Isn't it exciting?"

"Absolutely!" Miyako beamed. "Just curious - who's getting married?"

Nanao stopped short, breath trapped in her lungs. Oh_ shit._ This could end very, very badly.

* * *

_Okay, take a deep breath. I'd venture to say that was quite a roller coaster I just put you on.  
Once you've had a minute to absorb it all, if you could **please** provide a review with the following answers:_

1) On a scale of 1 to 10, how surprised were you? 3 out of 10? 11? Off the chart at 982? Obviously, I gave reason to believe that Nanao wasn't dead; so that shouldn't have been too much of a surprise - although I'm sure I made you second-guess yourself at the beginning of this chapter. :) In case you didn't realize, that first passage is a flashback of Bella saying goodbye to Miyako; her sister is Vivienna (see Ch33). I originally wrote the last chapter wanting to leave you thinking Nanao dead, but when I published the chapter, I didn't have the heart to make you think I was so cruel. The drama-meister in me says I shouldn't have been so nice, but I figured this chapter would be filled with enough surprises as it is. :)

I'm pretty sure none of the rest was expected, though. I would be amazed if any of you ever even thought of the fact that Shiba Miyako was not always a Shiba. (Especially considering how none of you commented last chapter on 'oh, hey, so _that's_ what happened to Ginrei'.)

Seriously, I'm hoping to see 85 reviews that say something along the lines of _'OMFG INSANE NEVER COULD HAVE GUESSED BRILLIANT I NEED TO SIT DOWN AND REMEMBER TO BREATHE'. _Okay, maybe not _that_ mind-blowing, but I hope you really liked all these plot twists. I would love to hear your comments. The best comment you can give me is to tell me that the plot twist was the most original thing you've ever read, it was completely unexpected, and that you're still hyperventilating. :)

2) In the end, I really, ultimately wanted to produce a story that would make people want to reread the whole thing all over again, looking for clues so that they could get those amazing "AHA!" moments; so that people would really get the most out of it. In the end, I think I succeeded. :) Now that you know what you know, I am really curious to know how many of you actually did (or planned on doing that) - going back and re-reading the story for clues. When I wrote this story, I wanted to misdirect all of you in every possible direction I could, but plant enough clues that you could see it on a second read-through. So I am REALLY curious to know if you started re-reading chapters, or if you plan to. I would be soooooo thankful if you answer this question.

3) I'm dying to know what you thought about the surprise cliffhanger. Tell me your musings! I bet you thought we were done, right? _Think again! _

Of course, feel free to add any other thoughts. As you all know by now, I live for reviews. I probably whore for them more than any other author out there. :)

Also, some prizes: Many of you suspected I wouldn't really kill Nanao, but _KuroiTsuki7_ and _CharmedNightSkye_ win the prize for correctly guessing what happened. But the grand prize goes to devoted fan, Shawn (a.k.a. _laughingspider_). Shawn wins the prize for being the only person I know of to think that Miyako might come back. I was clever, though, and told him that Miyako would not be reincarnated in this story. Not a _lie_, just being precise. I know, I am so freaking evil it's not funny. :)

_Next Chapter: I am the most evil author in the universe and am not telling you a damn thing._

* * *

~~Crossover Cup!~~

Today's **_very_** special guest: _**Otonashi Saya**,_ from Blood+!

_Saya:_ Hi!

_Nathan:_ Welcome! I'm sure you've been waiting to come on the program since, idunno, chapter 4?

_Saya:_ Definitely. You're obviously quite a Blood+ fan.

_Nathan:_ Oh, I loved Blood+. It's not like Bleach at all, but I absolutely loved it. The drama was so simple yet powerful. It had so many amazing intangible qualities that just spoke to me.

_Saya:_ It obviously influenced your story a lot.

_Nathan:_ Actually, not as much as you might think. I had the whole blood-born, dual-reincarnation, vampiric-tanto idea for a long time. In fact, I originally wrote the story (early rough draft) without having seen Blood+ at all. Originally, I named Nanao's zanpakutou 'Dante' (an obvious literary reference) and instead of Percival, I just used references to the "King", knowing people would think Spirit King instead of Great King of Hell.

_Saya:_ Interesting - then why did you add it in?

_Nathan:_ I was just so enamored with Blood+ that I decided it would be fun. So yes, it did influence my tale, but not as much as you would expect. In the end, I decided to put in a few obvious references that the Blood+ fans would catch: Saya, "Saya, Fight!", Haji (using a shield in place of a cello case), the blue rose, opera, Cavaliere (Italian for 'knight', which is 'Chevalier' in French; the name Percival is a derivative of this etymology).

_Saya:_ "As you wish."

_Nathan:_ Of course! There were other more obscure references that I won't enumerate, though. Interestingly enough, it was the idea of bringing in some allusions to Blood+ that gave me the idea to do Crossover Cups. I had to hold off on bringing in the Blood+ characters until Act IV, though, since I was worried I might tip off people. It was really hard, actually.

_Saya (laughing):_ I know your audience says they don't care, but we know they really like 'em and just won't admit it.

_Nathan:_ Bingo. I bet Kai can't wait to come on and yell at me about something or another. Yumi Azusa is still annoyed with me for giving you "her spot."

_Nanao (barging in from offstage):_ Saya, what the hell are you doing here!

_Saya (looking guilty):_ ...Nanao-san?

_Nanao:_ Get back in the freaking story! You think you're on break now! We've got to finish Act III! You can shmooze all you want in Act IV, but right now we have a job to do!

_Saya (meekly):_ Yes, ma'am.

_Nathan (feigning Kyoraku):_ So cruel, Nanao-chan.

_Nanao: (whacks Nathan with fan)_

_Nathan:_ Ow! Well, thanks for coming, Saya! See you later! Readers, give me those reviews!


	39. The True Meaning of Pride

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Bleach.

_Heh heh, I'm glad you all liked last chapter. I don't think there was a single person who wasn't completely floored. Awesome. :) Anyway, the wild ride continues - hold on to your seats!_

**_Translator's note: _**_'Taiso' means 'Colonel'._

* * *

Nanao exhaled slowly as her mind raced through any number of possible outcomes to this conversation. Miyako had been a warm, good soul when she served in the Gotei 13; but Nanao knew that sixteen years in Hell could change anybody; and even the warmest of people can hide seething jealousy. Nanao had seen the nasty look Miyako had given Tanabi, and not just anybody gets pulled into Handoshi service - so it wasn't beyond the realm of possibility that Miyako had a dark side. "Um, do you remember your former officer, Kuchiki Rukia?"

"Of course! How could I forget? She had the hots for my husband," Miyako laughed, rolling her eyes.

Nanao tried not to let her anxiety show. Miyako was armed, and therefore extremely dangerous. "Rukia-san remarked once or twice that she had a crush on him when she was a teenager," Nanao chuckled in a poor attempt to mask her fear of where this was going. "She, uh, obviously didn't do such a good job keeping it a secret."

"Kuchiki-san was such a cute girl," Miyako commented sweetly. "Kaien always told me how he felt a little bit like her dad."

"I'm sure," Nanao replied, not sure where to take this conversation. Thankfully, the strategist in her immediately forced her to tactic number one: make the opponent think they'll lose before they even begin. "Rukia-san is the 13th Division Lieutenant now, although I know they want to make her a captain. She's by far one of the most powerful and influential shinigami in the Gotei 13; some say she even rivals her brother."

"That's wonderful!" Miyako cheered. "Kaien told me he wanted Kuchiki-san to take his seat one day, although we had always hoped it would be so that we could retire and start a family." Miyako's voice was still pleasant, but Nanao had a vibe that she was masking her real feelings.

Miyako then gave Nanao a puzzled look. "Who from the Four Houses could she possibly be marrying? I can clearly see it's not Ganju," she laughed, pointing to her frozen, green-clad brother-in-law ten feet away from the bar. "Not to disparage him, but it sounds like Kuchiki-san is a bit out of his league," she teased. "Hey, wait a minute - is that Kuukaku-san over there in the corner with Kuchiki Taicho!"

Nanao could indeed see that over in the corner, the Heads of Shiba and Kuchiki Houses were indeed engaged in full mouth-on-mouth action. "Great King of Hell," Nanao swore, blinking over and over again. The sight made her wonder if hallucination was a side effect of contacts.

"Yeah," Miyako said, completely wide-eyed in shock. "Never thought I'd see the day."

Nanao was thankful for the diversion. "Well, they did spend a lot of time together discussing financials for the wedding. I'm sure that interaction may have had something to do with it."

"Kuukaku-san always had a thing for him," Miyako remarked, still gaping at the yellow-clad couple. "Said he was a better man than most people ever saw. Although how she knew that, I don't know."

"It doesn't take long before it begins to creep through," Nanao noted. She knew firsthand that Kuchiki Byakuya was a very misunderstood man - he was definitely not as cold-hearted as people were led to believe. When she went to him to ask about bequeathing the Four Posts, he didn't even give her the opportunity to ask. The moment she had brought up the topic with him, the first thing out of his mouth was his blessing to be the first Crowngifter in history from outside the noble families.

Nanao took a moment to admire how Kuukaku had somehow pulled away Byakuya's mask and found the man inside. It gave her a bit of hope that maybe some day, she could feel comfortable without her own defenses up all the time. She didn't know if Hisagi was the guy, but she knew that he had his own demons to hide. Perhaps that was why she was attracted to him. Or maybe it was because she had seen him shirtless once. Nanao wasn't sure.

"So wait, it's a Kuchiki/Shiba wedding? Who in the world is she marrying?"

Nanao swore inside. Revealing that Kuukaku was the other Head of House involved in the financials was a careless mistake. Miyako was way too perceptive of a woman to not make the connection.

Nanao spoke very, very carefully. As lighthearted as the distraction had been, this was still a potentially explosive conversation. "It's a bit of a long story, but she is marrying your nephew."

Miyako was incredulous. "How is that even _possible_?" Ganju wasn't married when she had passed away, and even if he had gotten married and had kids days afterwards, sixteen years is not enough to produce an eligible bachelor; at least assuming aging standards in Soul Society. Sixteen years old was practically a kindergartner. "I mean, it can't be from my sister's side. Fifth House or not, it's not like Kaien and I had a Four Houses wedding." Offhand, she added, "Besides, I doubt Kirio-neesama would have left me any nephews, considering she never got over Unohana Taicho."

"Uh, no," Nanao corrected, a bit embarrassed to learn so much about her respected mentor's private life. "Actually, Rukia-san is marrying the son of Shiba Isshashine."

"_Really?_" Miyako laughed in surprise. "You mean that old goofball is still alive?"

"He was regretfully unable to come to the wedding, but I hear he is alive and well." Trying to explain that he couldn't leave Yuzu home alone was just a pandora's box, so she left that part out.

"Wow. That's too bad. I haven't seen him since Kaien and I got married," Miyako said, nostalgia layered into her voice.

Nanao couldn't keep Miyako off-topic, and this was getting tense. If Nanao ever wanted to use her bankai again, she needed to figure out a way to permanently defuse the situation. Avoiding the topic wasn't working, so she tried to talk it out. She thought for a moment before coming out with a well-crafted question. "Miyako-dono, do you ever wonder where Kaien-dono is now?"

Miyako smiled, but it was only to mask her sadness. "I wonder all the time, Ise-san." Nanao noticed that the woman's brokenhearted voice completely betrayed her friendly facial expression. The effect was oddly ominous, and Nanao was worried she hadn't fielded the right question.

Her suspicions were quickly confirmed. "Why do you ask, Ise-san?" The tone of Miyako's voice indicated that the question was not entirely casual.

Nanao reacted swiftly. "I was wondering if maybe you knew where he was, that's all," she responded as innocently as possible.

Miyako eyed her with a wary expression. The kind that Nanao knew how to interpret as a '_What-is-it-you're-not-telling-me?' _look.

The safest thing to do was to play dumb, so Nanao acted puzzled. "What's wrong?"

"........Nothing," Miyako concluded slowly. "I was just thinking about Kaien......hoping he was well."

"Did... do you think he was also recruited by the Handoshi?" Let's see what she says to that.

Miyako smiled, seemingly indicating some relief. "No. I'm pretty sure that didn't happen."

Nanao took the opening. "Is that hard? Knowing that he didn't follow you there?"

The former third seat tucked a strand of white hair behind her ear, and her pleasant demeanor seemed to return - but Nanao could feel reiatsu burning. It wasn't a threatening kind of energy at all, but whatever Miyako was thinking about was clearly bothering her. "I think you would agree, Ise-san, when I say that I would never wish Handoshi servitude on anyone."

Nanao nodded knowingly, taking the opportunity to tilt the conversation in a constructive fashion. If she could continue to get Miyako to talk it through, maybe she could iron out any potential problems before they surfaced. "I'm sure you miss him."

A tear came to Miyako's eye, but she pretended like it wasn't there. "I do."

The cliche sounded lame in Nanao's head, but there was truth to it: the silence was deafening. Prolonging it would only make things worse, so Nanao switched topics. "I bet you never expected to be able to come back here." _Happy topic. Moving in the right direction. __So far, so good. Maybe I can pull this off._

"No, I never thought I would _ever_ get the chance," she grinned thankfully. The white-haired woman smoothed out her tattered gray robe. Handoshi uniforms were never flattering, although Miyako's natural grace and beauty still shone through them. "I know you don't want anyone to know about what happened here, but could I at least get a peek at the bride before I go? I would love to see Kuchiki-san again. From what you tell me, it sounds like I would have lot to be proud of."

Red flags started firing off in Nanao's head. No matter how innocuous the request sounded, it was a bad idea. Nanao's wheels turned as she formulated the best argument she could think of against it. "...Uh, I don't think we should disturb them --- you never know what they, uh, might actually be doing in there," Nanao laughed meekly. She was impressed with herself - that was actually a pretty good excuse.

Miyako giggled warmly with a knowing smile. "I suppose you're right." Although she and Kaien didn't have a Four Houses wedding, they _did_ have a seclusion chamber, and she understood_ completely._ There were some things that were better left private.

Inside, Nanao breathed a sigh of relief. She rode the wave in the right direction. "Well, at least now you can come and visit," Nanao laughed.

"Maybe," Miyako said, her tone indicating great interest in the idea. "I don't know if Hajimata Taiso would like it, though."

Nanao waved her hand dismissively. "Oh, that softy will do whatever I tell him. If he ever says no, tell him I'm taking away his cello for a week." How the sweet, good-natured pushover that was Hajimata Percival ever found his way into Hell had been a mystery. Saya's colorful commentary had speculated that it was because he was so good at being told what to do, which Nanao found kind of funny for someone effectively in charge of an entire Handoshi Legion.

Miyako laughed. "He really is a nice guy, at least when he isn't crushing people's skulls with that shield of his." Definitely not Percival's favorite pasttime, she thought, but we all have jobs to do.

"We missed you a lot here," Nanao confessed sincerely, switching topics. It was a good strategy, Nanao figured. Play on Miyako's good side and she'll be hesitant to do something rash. "Morale took a big hit when you died."

Miyako didn't seem so sure. "I'm sure they were more disappointed about the loss of my husband."

Nanao wanted to kick herself for unintentionally reopening an avenue of discussion that involved Kaien, but was too surprised that Miyako was so skeptical to dwell on it. "We lost both of you on the same day. It was devastating for your division, but also for all of the women in the Gotei 13 that admired you. Rukia-san, Kotetsu-san, myself - so many of us were absolutely crushed. You were an inspiration to us; please don't sell yourself short, Miyako-dono. We really did miss you. Most of us still do."

Miyako looked away from Nanao with a guilty expression. "You're too kind," she said weakly, appearing highly conflicted.

Nanao wasn't sure why Miyako was upset, but it wasn't a good sign. "I'm sorry, Miyako-dono - did I say something wrong?"

The Handoshi elite hid her face from her brigadier general. "Permission to speak freely, sir?"

_Shit, shit, shit, shit. This is bad. This is bad. This is soooooooo bad. Play dumb. Play dumb. Play nervous, befuddled, and dumb._ "Huh? Miyako-dono, wuh -- what? What is it? I---"

"You know where Kaien is, don't you?" she asked softly. "You're trying to hide it from me." Miyako's tone was completely devoid of threat, but the words themselves still inspired dread.

_Fuck. Fuck. Fuck! Stall, goddamnit! Stall! Think! Think!_ The last thing I want to have to do is restrain her, escalation is _not_ the right move. I have to avoid conflict at all cost or Rukia-san is going to find out and then her wedding is going to devolve into madness. _Fuck, fuck, fuck - __I can't lie, she's too smart. She'll know._ Think, goddamnit, think!

"Miyako-dono," Nanao feigned complete bewilderment, "why would you think that?" _Stall for time. __Stall for time. __Stall for time._

A smile spread across Miyako's face, and she closed her eyes. Nanao began to panic as Miyako withdrew her katana. _"Perceive, Clara."_

Nanao felt a sudden poke on the inside of her skull. _**SHIT!**_

-:-

Rukia had no idea where she was.

The floor was not really a floor. It was an expanse of calm, serene water that reflected her image perfectly like a gleaming polished mirror. As she walked to and fro, trying to understand her location, ripples in the water eddied for an infinite distance; yet the ground was solid underneath her feet.

The silver sky was not blue in any way, but it was not dull or dreary. It was a neutral, passive color; and the only source of light was a Saturn-like celestial body that hung in its emptiness. It was then that Rukia noticed she was wearing her standard shinigami attire, rather than her wedding kimono.

_What is going on?_

Rukia felt a flow of reiatsu behind her, and in an instant, Sode no Shirayuki was drawn, released with a shout, and in the way of a katana that otherwise would have lopped off her head.

"You've gotten much better with a sword," Miyako said kindly, pulling back.

_"Miyako-dono!"_

"I don't have time to explain," Miyako answered. "I'm sorry, Kuchiki-san, but if I don't hurry, Ise Fukutaicho is going to kill me." I was hoping the usual shot from behind would make this quick, but I guess that's a lot to ask.

Rukia's confusion choked in her throat as Miyako charged, blade aimed at her head in a wide slash. Rukia blocked it, but the ambidextrous Miyako tossed the sword mid-strike into the other hand, changing direction and going into an upwards vertical strike. Rukia leaped to the side as the blade swished past her nose.

"Miyako-dono, how--- what are you doing!"

_"No time to explain!"_ she shouted mid-slash, and Rukia went on the defensive. Sparks flew as Miyako's shikai, Clara, clashed against Sode no Shirayuki. It was a battle of beautiful blades - Clara was identical in form to Miyako's unreleased katana except that the blade was made out of perfectly transparent diamond. Rukia had seen it a few times before, and knew that its crystal-clear blade made it much harder to see in the heat of battle, a significant advantage for someone as skilled with a sword as Miyako.

Rukia blocked a swipe to the ribs, but the nearly invisible katana turned downwards, sliding towards the arch of her foot. Rukia pulled her foot out of the way in the nick of time, but it left her off-balance; and Miyako pulled the hilt up quickly, clearly aimed at uppercutting her in the chin. Rukia bent backwards to avoid it, throwing her momentum downwards to regain her balance. Miyako gracefully converted the missed strike into a cross-slash. Rukia was too low to the ground to move or block, so she ducked; but then Miyako's blade swung around on full rotation and she was forced to block awkwardly in a crouched position.

Rukia knew she was going to get hit long before the snap kick connected with her shoulder, clearly intended to shove her to the floor - so Rukia was prepared enough to roll out of the way as the sparkling katana whizzed by her forehead and stuck in the hard water floor. Sopping wet, Rukia quickly got to her feet, trying to figure out what in the world was going on. One minute ago, she was cuddling with Ichigo in her wedding kimono, and now she's faced off against someone she long thought dead. Someone she really didn't want to hurt.

Miyako didn't give her too much time to dwell on it. Flash-stepping right in front of Rukia, Clara was aimed between her eyes. Rukia reacted quickly with a wordless _Bakudo #39: Arc Shield,_ and then used shunpo to position herself to safety.

"Wordless kido?" Miyako smiled, obviously impressed while she switched her grip again. "I'm really amazed, Kuchiki-san. Only the very best and brightest can do that. You've really grown."

_"Why are you doing this!"_ Rukia shouted back in confusion.

"I'm really sorry, Kuchiki-san," Miyako apologized nicely. "I would love to chat, but I don't have time."

Sode no Shirayuki vibrated in her hands as the reverberation of diamond against steel was felt all the way up in Rukia's shoulders. Miyako was insanely fast and reasonably strong, with complete mastery of her swordsmanship. Rukia blocked a swipe at her ankle, which Miyako then buzz-sawed into a 360-degree backhanded downswing against her shoulder. Rukia blocked it easily but the force of the blow was so devastatingly powerful that it crumpled her stance into a kneeling position. It was if she was a tin can hit by a four-ton trash compactor.

Miyako effortlessly converted her crushing 360 into a spear-point dive aimed at Rukia's eyebrow, and although she was able to block the dive with the flat of her blade, Rukia was as good as dead. Slammed flat on her back with her legs tucked under her, her mobility was severely restricted; and Miyako took a golf swing of her katana, aimed at cleaving Rukia from pelvis to palate. Rukia jammed Sode no Shirayuki in the way, but she had to lift her body off the ground to reach. Now she was straining her body in a Z-like position, trying to keep Miyako from cutting her in half.

_"Some no mai, Tsukishiro!" _ Rukia invoked, glad that her own mastery over her blade had allowed her to use her katana's first dance with nothing more than speech.

Her opponent flashed back and out of the way as Rukia rode the column of ice into a high-ground position, raining bakudo spells down on Miyako in an attempt to immobilize her. Miyako was able to dispel the _#30: Beak-Piercing Triple Beams_ with a slash of her sword, but she was forced to dodge the exponentially more powerful _#61: Six Rods of Light Prison._

Miyako laughed sadly to herself. Kuchiki-san really has become an incredible shinigami, she thought. That #61 is such a hard spell to get right - I always had trouble with it, and here she is chaining them like it was no different than a bakudo #4. Miyako shook her head as she evaded. _I really am stupid, aren't I? I shouldn't be doing this._

The Handoshi/Shinigami slashed the ground with her katana, and the water underneath the pillar of ice lost its rigidity and the column began to sink. Rukia leaped off with sword aimed to strike, but Miyako feinted and flashed out of the way at the last second. Rukia expected to hit the ground hard, but instead she went straight through the water-floor; plunging into its icy cold depths.

Rukia quickly swam to the surface, and when she emerged, she managed to climb her way out of the liquid water and back onto its solid surface. It was a completely bizarre experience, but she didn't have time to be mystified by it. Miyako was trying to take advantage of her clumsy position, swinging for Rukia's head. Rukia struggled to block in awkward directions, but finally got her butt up onto solid ground, giving her two free hands. She batted a swing to the ear out of the way with her sword, and then used her other had to cast a kido spell: _"Hado #1: Thrust!"_

Miyako was blown back ten meters, which gave Rukia enough time to get back on her feet. _"Tsugi no mai, Hakuren!"_

The blast of snow and ice roared forward, but Miyako was too fast - as good as Rukia was, Miyako's shunpo slightly outpaced her own; and with that speed it wasn't impossible for her to evade most of the long-range attacks that Rukia could pull off. Rukia didn't want to hurt Miyako, but she was running out of options. At this rate, Rukia wondered if she was going to need to use bankai; if only just to slow her opponent down. Doing so, though, could pay a heavy price - escalating the battle to that level would only make it harder to settle things peacefully. Rukia wasn't sure if 'peacefully' was still an option, though.

Clara nearly sliced her scalp off as Rukia thrust her white sword in the way, straining against the taller woman's leverage. "Miyako-dono, why! Can't we just talk about this?"

_"Love...to...but...no...time!"_ she grunted between swings. _I can't believe how physically strong she is now_ - she's not the skinny adolescent I used to train, Miyako thought. I'm so proud of her; Kuchiki-san really has improved. Kaien chose well - I'm sure she's made an excellent vice captain.

Miyako then began to worry. _If I don't hurry, I'm going to lose my chance. _Ise Fukutaicho said something about making Rukia a captain - _which means she must have bankai._ I don't know that I can beat her if it comes to that.

Rukia was completely confounded, but she needed a strategy. Miyako clearly had the advantage of being familiar with the terrain, and if Rukia didn't end this soon, she was going to end up dead. Forging her resolve, Rukia realized that with Miyako's skill and perception, outmaneuvering her wouldn't be easy -- but she had an idea.

A heated exchange of clashing swords occupied the span of several minutes while Rukia waited for an opening. Miyako was coming at her with everything she had, and for the most part, Rukia played defense; trying to keep adequate distance. Occasionally, she would parry, but her strikes were clearly intended to keep Miyako off her offensive. _"Please,_ stop this!"

Miyako ignored the request and kept swinging, making small chat in an attempt to distract her opponent. "I see Kuchiki Taicho gave you your own scarf," she said casually, executing a traditional-yet-still-difficult-to-keep-up-with star pattern. "You look very noble, Kuchiki-san. It really suits you well."

Rukia focused on blocking Miyako's cross, slice, stab, hack-slash, and rotary parry rather than engage in banter. Her opponent was too savvy for her not to devote her entire attention to the wickedly fast diamond katana that swung in every possible direction. Rukia had to be extraordinarily careful - Miyako had already made several attempts to grab Sode no Shirayuki's ribbon and use it against her. Rukia had never fought against anyone so clever before, but this was Shiba Miyako. Even Komamura-sensei would have a hard time.

"I don't remember you ever wearing anything in your hair, though," Miyako commented inconsequentially, temporarily going one-handed in order to narrow the growing gap as Rukia tried to put space between them. "That's a lovely pin - when did you start wearing it?" she asked, switching hands again and aiming for the smaller woman's shoulder with a backhanded horizontal cross-cut.

"After I killed an espada," Rukia answered with a furrowed brow as she dodged to the left, hoping the implied threat would come across clearly.

The resurrected shinigami restrained her anguish. She knew all about Aaroniero's sins, and she felt horrible that she was now attacking the woman who had avenged her husband. _I am such a terrible person,_ Miyako cried inside, but she was already knee-deep in trouble as it is. Backing down now would just make things unfixable.

I better get this over with, she thought.

Miyako let out a scream of force; bringing her blade in a ferocious downswing. It was the opportunity Rukia had been waiting for. Quickly, Rukia shifted - instead of blocking with her blade, she swung her left upper arm in the way, and Miyako's katana clanged against her brass lieutenant's badge; the very one Kaien had left for her to inherit. Knowing that Miyako would not likely be able to visualize such a maneuver, it afforded Rukia a brief opening in which she thrust Sode no Shirayuki clean through the gut of her opponent ---

Former 13th Division 3rd Seat, the brave and courageous goddess known to everyone by the name of Shiba Miyako - the only woman Kuchiki Rukia had ever idolized.

Rukia instantly infused the biggest, most powerful healing kido spell that she could cast through Sode no Shirayuki, forcing the flow of green energy directly into the wound. Slowly, carefully, she removed the blade bit by bit while the kido gently re-threaded the veins, arteries, muscles, and sinew; reconstructing the organs and intestinal pathways. It was extremely complicated kido - Rukia had to use every last corner of medical kido talent that she had - but the effort it took was nothing compared to the emotional trauma. _If only I had been able to call upon such incredible power back when her husband had met the same fate__,_ Rukia contemplated mournfully. _How weak and sad and pathetic I was then._

Rukia choked back her overwhelming psychological torment that was eating her alive and focused on the task at hand. She wasn't going to let Kaien's love die on her sword the way he had. Rukia was no longer that emotionally distraught shinigami with no hope of ever feeling at place under the banner of a noble family name. She was not the Rukongai import who became a shinigami just to survive. She was not the confused, torn, and haunted woman she was before she fell in love with Kurosaki Ichigo. She was not the bumbling unseated officer who had others save her sorry ass all the time.

No; Rukia was now among the most powerful, fearsome, influential, and important shinigami elite in all of history. Her title and place had been earned through hardship, through perserverance, through facing her own fear and self-disgust, through her will and resolve that she swore would never die. She was not just anyone, not just some shinigami - she was 13th Division Vice Captain, Head Lieutenant _Kuchiki Rukia_ -- Espada Slayer and Grand Lady of the Kuchiki House. Rukia bore her pride with honor, but also with humility - that honor and respect came because she _earned_ it. Kuchiki Rukia would never give up, _ever. _She would never forget that her strength, her character, and her stature came from her selflessness coupled with her determination. _There is **no way** I am going to let history repeat itself, and even if I have to spit in the eye of Fate itself, I swear she's going to make it out alive; even if it kills me._

Gingerly, Rukia covered her other hand over the wound just as she removed the tip of her zanpakutou; further flooding Miyako's body with soothing, healing energy. It took several minutes until Rukia was sure, but Miyako had been saved; and Rukia embraced the woman as they both fell onto their knees. Rukia's energy was sapped from such an intense operation, and Miyako's strength was completely drained.

Rukia whispered in Miyako's ear: "Kaien-dono loved you a thousand times more deeply than any infatuation I ever could have had for him. He was not, is not, _and never will be,_ mine --- and _my_ heart, Miyako-dono, lies with someone else."

Miyako exploded into hysterical tears, crying and sobbing and thrashing in Rukia's arms. Rukia cooed gentle hushes in her ear, and although it was completely unlike Rukia to cry over anything, tears welled in her eyes.

"I'm sorry, Kuchiki-san."

And then, taking advantage of her opponent's mercy, Miyako surreptitiously stabbed Rukia through the back of the head.

* * *

_I know, I know; I am the most evil fanfic author alive. Reviews, please!  
__Next Chapter: The climax finally comes to a close with the conclusion of Act III! Don't you dare stop reading now!_

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~~Crossover Cup!~~

Today's special guest: _Haji_, from Blood+!

_Haji: _You don't think Nanao would really take away my cello, do you?

_Nathan: _I wouldn't put it past her.


	40. The Goddess Who Wielded Fate Itself

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Bleach.

_Here it is, folks - the end of Act III. Thanks for reading - y'all are the best.  
-njx_

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Kuchiki Rukia's body, frozen in the timestop, awoke. It was wrapped around the body of Kurosaki Ichigo, which remained unseeing and unaware.

"I'm sorry, Kuchiki-san," the bride's body whispered. "But there's something I have to do."

Opening its eyes and looking up, Miyako could see Kaien's face once more. It wasn't his hair, but it was definitely his face. It was his smile; his embrace; his touch; his scent. The physical, palpable feeling of him holding her once again was unbelievable; indescribable; wondrous and inspiring. Miyako never thought she would ever hold him like this ever again.

It was a gift from the Hand of Fate itself. Tanabi never would have lifted a finger for her, but unwittingly, his timestop had been a blessing in disguise. When she found out Kaien was right here under her nose - sealed in a temporal stasis, giving her a once-in-a-thousand-lifetimes of an opportunity to see him without disturbing anyone - she had to to do it. To feel his arms, his chest, his reiatsu; to be reunited with him once more was something so improbable she never would have forgiven herself had she not seized the moment. Of course, she wasn't sure she could forgive herself for actually doing this, but she couldn't think about that right now. The warmth of her husband's soul next to her own was too precious for her to think about anything else.

Carefully, she stood up on Rukia's tiptoes (this body was way shorter than her own) and kissed the groom's lips.

"Kai," she said aloud in Rukia's voice, with tears in Rukia's eyes. "I'm glad I got to see you one more time. I loved you _so _much; so, so much --- and I never got to say goodbye."

Miyako, in Rukia's body, hugged him one last time, and gave him a final kiss. She was deeply sad and mournful, but at the same time, her happiness had no boundaries. Most souls never get this chance; the chance to see a lover one last time. As tragic as all endings are, most never get the one they want; and if this was the end of their journey together, this one last chance was all she ever could have prayed for. Miyako knew a long time ago that she had to let him go; and she had tried so many times to close that chapter of her history and move on - but she never had the strength. She needed to say it. Miyako couldn't do it unless she finally, finally got to actually say that word to him:

"_Goodbye, _Kaien."

And with that, Miyako wiped the bride's tears away, and after touching her late husband's unknowing face one last time, she withdrew back to her inner world; leaving Rukia's body and returning it to suspended animation.

-:-

When she arrived back, she was not surprised to see the old one-eyed woman in her brown cloak waiting for her. "That was absolutely horrible of you, Miko-chan."

"I know, Clara-san," she sighed gloomily. Miyako couldn't think of anything else to say, other than to add, "I hope Ise-san doesn't kill me."

"Well, if you hadn't been so hasty, we could have kept her in the dark," Clara retorted.

Miyako frowned. Her zanpakutou's telepathic abilities would never be beneficial on the battlefield if her opponents knew that she could see inside their heads and take over their minds - but after prying open Nanao's thoughts, she had impatiently rushed off before erasing any evidence of invasion. The discovery that Kurosaki was the reincarnated Kaien was so overwhelming that she couldn't think of anything else. "I know. My fault. I'll deal with it."

Clara gestured to Rukia, still kneeling on the water-floor, frozen, with Miyako's diamond sword still embedded in the base of her skull. "Don't make the same mistake twice. It will completely ruin her big day."

Miyako nodded solemnly, and grabbed the hilt of her sword. _"Fade Into the Forgotten, Clara."_

Rukia's figure disappeared from around the embedded katana, and now that it was free, Miyako resheathed her sword. Her zanpakutou was still staring at her disapprovingly. "I can't believe you, Miko-chan. When will you stop being so insecure?"

Miyako looked away, embarrassed. "Enough, Clara-san. I feel terrible as it is."

"Kuchiki-san gave you quite a guilt trip back there, didn't she?" Clara asked knowingly.

Miyako began to have a breakdown. She was already emotional as it is, and her sword piling it on was just not helping. In depressive tears, she sat on the wet floor and buried her face her lap, salty drops spilling everywhere. "That's why I got sent to Hell, isn't it, Clara-san? I'm such an awful person, aren't I?"

The old woman's harsh expression vanished. Clara instantly felt miserable. Miyako was an absurdly saintly woman, tender-hearted and sensitive, with the stress of a ridiculously cruel job. Hell was a lonely place, and she understood how her master felt - almost anybody would have done the same if they were ever given the chance. Not too many people get the opportunity to see a dead lover once more; it was unreasonable to expect that Miyako would have done any differently. Miyako may have been an angel, but she wasn't stupid. You would have to be an idiot not to take advantage of the situation. Clara really shouldn't have been so hard on her.

She sat down next to her black-haired master, who still thought of herself as a shinigami and hence chose to preserve her old appearance in her inner world. "Don't be ridiculous, Miko-chan. You're a good woman with some self-esteem issues, no different than a million other ladies. You didn't get sent to Hell because you're an insecure little sissy."

Miyako heaved. Calling her a sissy was generous. Her entire life, all she heard was that she was 'brave', 'fearless', 'perceptive', 'courageous'. She wondered if people would still say that if they knew she could read her opponents' moves before they could. It's easy to be 'brave' when you know exactly how to avoid getting hurt. "I'm the farthest thing from brave there is," she said aloud, her stream of consciousness coming out. "I'm a complete coward."

Clara rubbed the woman's back and tried to console her. Miyako wasn't making much sense, but she tended to let her emotions get the best of her. "Now I _know _you're being a sissy," she chastised lightly. "C'mon, Miko-chan. Cowards don't try to hack into the minds of women as powerful as Ise Nanao and Kuchiki Rukia. Don't disparage yourself. The only thing you've ever been afraid of is yourself."

Miyako calmed down a bit and splashed some water on her face, trying to make herself presentable. "That's awfully cliche, Clara-san," she said, depressed.

"You know it's the truth," her katana's spirit responded, unfazed. "You've always doubted yourself."

Miyako said nothing, simply sniffling and trying to stop crying.

"Really. I'm serious. You're way too hard on yourself," the old woman said, her huge singular eye in the center of her face spinning around randomly. "You should learn to trust your own worth and be happy with who you are."

Miyako was angry and bitter now. "How can I be happy with myself when I do such terrible things?" she shouted, and then began crying again. "For Kami's sake,_ I rape people's minds,_ Clara-san. I'm hideous," she spat through her tears. "I'm unforgivable."

Clara shoved Miyako hard down to the ground, and then buried her hand in the shinigami's chest. With a ferocious yank, the zanpakutou spirit pulled out the black ribbon and thrust it in her master's face. _"Don't ever say you're unforgivable!"_ Clara rebuked angrily. "You _punish_ the unforgivable. You didn't go to Hell to sit alongside them. You were judged and found to be righteous - the Great King of Hell doesn't endorse hypocrisy. _'Unforgivable'?_ Don't you dare ever tell me that again! The Hikifune Miyako I've known for over three hundred years has never once done something to deserve such self-scorn! I _won't_ have it," Clara yelled at her. "I'll be damned if you're going to make me look like some fiend against humanity because you forget all the good you've done with me by your side! Now shut up and remember that just because you can be an ass sometimes _doesn't mean you're not the most ridiculous goody-two-shoes I've ever met!_"

Miyako gazed up from the water-floor into the eye of her materialized blade. A pit of emotion formed in her chest. "But---"

Clara grabbed Miyako by the collar and smashed her into the floor again. "No buts! For a woman so talented at reading other people's souls, she's an absolute _moron_ at understanding her own!"

Slowly, a tiny smile began to emerge on Miyako's face. "I really do wallow in self-pity, don't I; Clara-san?" she whispered, a tiny laugh escaping. "Sorry."

The old lady smiled, glad that her master actually listened to her for a change. _Honestly, for the love of everything that is holy,_ Clara swore to herself. Her master was practically an absolute paragon of virtue but had the self-image of a kicked puppy. Clara let go of the spirit ribbon, and it disintegrated back into Miyako's chest. "No worries, Miko-chan. I forgive you." After a moment, she helped Miyako to her feet with a smug grin. "But you're still an insecure little sissy," she teased.

Miyako shook her head with a smile, but there was a lot of shame buried underneath. "I know."

Clara reassured her. "You could be worse, you know. You could have had a nether spirit instead of an old lady."

Miyako chuckled at the reference to her older sister's zanpakutou, Boukyaku no Kami Sori. Despite being a wonderfully sweet woman, Kirio-neesama was quite possibly the most emotionally repressive person she had ever known. The current head of the Hikifune family kept her worries inside until it was beyond the point of being psychologically healthy, and had a tendency to let out all of her pent-up frustrations on the battlefield.

At first, Miyako wondered why Kirio's sword had such a terrifying name. "Oblivion Razor"? Miyako thought it was laughable - how could her dear, motherly, cheery-sunshine sister have such a scary demon for a zanpakutou? That question was answered the first time Miyako saw Kirio in a _real_ fight. Like Miyako, Kirio had completely mastered the samurai arts; and rarely did she need anything more than her unreleased katana or kido to dispatch her opponents. When Miyako got to see Kirio pitted against an adjuchas, though, she saw something that scared the hell out of her. Kirio's zanpakutou - whose shikai release command was _"Annihilate the Soul" -_ was clearly the epitome of her bottled-up stress put inside a pressure cooker and then kicked around by a pack of ravenous hyenas. Miyako had an entirely different perspective of her sister after that - it was obvious that Boukyaku no Kami Sori tended to go _waaaaaaaaaay_ overboard. Apparently, the little bugger felt like it had a lot to prove.

The thought of zanpakutou led Miyako to break the silence. "I can't believe it, but I forgot to even look. Did you see Kurosaki's zanpakutou in the chamber...?"

"Not Nejibana," Clara answered, understanding the question.

Miyako nodded. Kuchiki-san had been right: her heart really did belong to someone else. "Did it even look like him?"

Clara gave a disgusted look. "Ugh, _Zangetsu?_ Heavens, no. I don't do beards."

Miyako laughed out loud. It was an odd comment from an old lady who had spent over thirty-five years sleeping with a merman. The two of them made the most bizarre pair imaginable - Old Miss Bowling-Ball-One-Eye and Mr. Catfish Fins-and-Scales. They were even more of an odd couple than the gentle Miyako with the brash Kaien. "Was he at least a water zanpakutou?" After thinking about it, she suggested, "Or maybe a wind zanpakutou, considering his father?"

Her sword understood the reference. The Shiba family was famous for having four siblings across the four elements. "No, not an elemental sword at all."

"Now I feel even more stupid," Miyako muttered, feeling completely downtrodden. "All that, and I don't even know if it was really Kaien after all."

"I wouldn't say that," Clara answered. "You know how it is - no two souls are the same, but no two lifetimes are, either. Life changes us. Death changes us. That's how Fate decided it should be. And I don't think Fate ever would have let you come all this way just to say goodbye to a total stranger."

Miyako gave a weak-but-inspired smile. "...I guess that's true. Fate has certainly never played a practical joke on me before."

Indeed, Fate had actually been kind to Miyako, considering all the trouble it had put her through. Her father Hatami, who had trained Kirio, died when Miyako was young; but Fate made up for it. Her mother was able to remarry - an unusual occurence in Soul Society nobility - and her stepfather, Banzo Jirobu, was a remarkably kind and jovial man who had been very good to her and her sister; even after Fate took her mother from them, too. Jirobu, who was even more of a goofball than Isshashine, was very respectful of their history and didn't try to pretend that he could replace their father. Instead, he insisted that they should be proud of their Hikifune name and that they didn't need to change it if they didn't want to. Both Miyako and Kirio liked him very much and considered themselves extraordinarily lucky to have such a legitimately caring stepfather.

Miyako never understood how the angry, cynical, and severely disturbed Tanabi could have come from such a wonderfully silly and endearing man. Tanabi instantly disliked Kirio, finding that her sweet personality rubbed him the wrong way. He was a really messed-up kid. Technically speaking, Tanabi was actually Miyako's half-brother - they shared the same mother, Kyoraku Suzuki - but Miyako always called him 'stepbrother', as she never wanted to admit that they shared common blood. Miyako was repulsed by the fact that she shared genes with that sick, disturbed pervert. Thankfully, while Miyako was the spitting image of her mother, Tanabi had inherited every last ounce of his appearance from his father. Tanabi had always thought of Kirio and Miyako as his stepsisters anyway, regardless of the truth - likely as a means of shielding his own conscience from how sick-in-the-head he was.

It wasn't until Tanabi had been a young teenager that Miyako found out he was even more messed up then she had initially assumed. Before then, she had always been civil to him - he was cute as a toddler but quickly became a devil of a boy. Miyako had joined the Gotei 13 around the time he was born, so she wasn't around 24/7 with him as a little kid; but she played the role of big sister as much as she could, knowing that it was hard for him without a mother. Kirio had become a captain shortly after their mother died and wasn't really around, but Tanabi never liked her anyway. However, Miyako's love for her younger brother went out the window when she discovered he had been spying on her everywhere for years - in the shower, in her bedroom - wherever he could.

Miyako had been looking for something in the library when she stumbled across a hidden stack of pictures tucked into an old kido tome. Tanabi had amassed hundreds of them; each one of her in various states of undress. Most were not particularly incriminating, but there were plenty that were extremely embarrassing; and even a few so private and personal that Miyako was even ashamed of herself. Miyako felt incredibly violated and had the urge to slaughter him in cold blood, quite possibly the first time she had ever been inclined to gratuitous violence in her entire life.

In fact, she probably _would_ have killed him if it wasn't for the fact that Fate had thankfully given her a telepathic zanpakutou. It had taken her nearly forty hours of memory surgery after burning the pictures, but she was able to excise every last image from his brain. However, the other thoughts and feelings she had found in that murky pit of his subconscious left her revolted. Tanabi was definitely more than just a messed-up kid - he had barbarically cruel dreams and desires; was extremely prone to violence and had a heart that lusted with sadism. The things she saw in his mind were so haunting and harrowing that Miyako found herself pitying him; sorry that someone could have slid so far into darkness. If he had simply been traumatized by his mother's death, Miyako might have been able to cut out the more painful parts and help him; but Tanabi's mind was so permeated with searing hatred that there was no way she could have saved him.

Yet it was odd how such a disturbing discovery led to such fortune. Although Miyako never got to learn swordsmanship from her father like Kirio had, she had been fortunate to have an influential uncle that was able to teach her just as much. Uncle Shunsui easily got her into Ukitake Jushiro's squad, and Miyako had great admiration for the wise 13th division captain. Until that point, she had been living at home; but after seeing that Tanabi was a black hole waiting to swallow the universe, she moved into the barracks; thereby avoiding any further interaction with her younger sibling and making sure he never looked her through those damn peepholes ever again. She would never acknowledge their true familial relationship again - her disgust and repugnance at the idea was too strong.

Life in the barracks had been a very difficult adjustment. Miyako did not consider herself a spoiled noblewoman, but she had still grown up in the homes of the highest nobility in Soul Society. Although Miyako always cleaned up after herself, she was still used to life with servants who did her laundry; and back home she always had a quiet room to herself. Day-to-day in the noisy barracks was about as far from that as could have been expected. For the timid Miyako, it had been overwhelming; but Miyako had no other options. There was no way she was going to live with that pitiful, perverted monster ever again.

Ukitake Jushiro helped her adjust; frequently counseling her and providing her whatever assistance he could in order to help her get settled in to an entirely new way of life. It had been his suggestion for her to get involved in the Shinigami Women's Association, where she made friends and acquaintances and found a sense of normalcy. The barracks soon became home; a much warmer home than she ever could have found if she had to live with a peeping tom for a little brother. Yet again, Fate had roundaboutly blessed her through hardship. Completely absorbed in the Gotei 13, Hikifune Miyako became a very successful shinigami; rising all the way to 9th seat before Ukitake Taicho introduced her to the new vice captain, Shiba Kaien.

Had Miyako been living in the Banzo house, there was no way they ever would have had the opportunity to get married. As nice as Jirobu was, he took his noble traditions very seriously; at least to the outside world. As custom demanded, Jirobu would not make an arranged marriage for Miyako, the younger sister, until her older sister Kirio was married. Miyako wasn't in a rush, but Kirio rightfully felt it was blackmail. In private, Jirobu had always been very accepting of the fact that Kirio was a lesbian, but social pressure amongst nobility had crushed his fighting spirit years ago, and he publicly denied Kirio's relationship with Unohana Retsu. Not that anybody accepted the denial - the two women had already been committed to each other for nearly a hundred and thirty years, and would last another forty years until its long-distance nature became too hard for both of them - but Jirobu finally had something he could put up as a public front, and never introduced Miyako to anyone from the other noble families.

Kirio had been real pissed at Oyaji, but forgave him after Jirobu confided that he personally believed it was better for Miyako to find a husband on her own. Although he had been blessed with a tragically-short-but-deeply-rewarding arranged marriage to Suzuki, the hardball politics of upper noble marriages were a burden that he did not wish on anybody; something he had learned many years ago after losing the opportunity to marry Shihoin Kaori. Miyako had long suspected that Oyaji didn't really want to screw her over; he was too nice for that. However, it did mean that meeting Kaien the usual way - an arranged introduction through the family heads - would have been an impossibility; and it had been her luck that she met him through the Gotei 13.

It had taken a long time for Miyako and Kaien to even begin a relationship, and even longer until they were married. While Miyako was always humble, she was no idiot. Unlike her older sister Kirio, who was simply plain, Miyako knew she was an extraordinarily beautiful woman. It was a blessing from Fate that sometimes felt like a curse - the barracks were not exactly the place for an attractive woman who was used to her privacy. Miyako always thought Shiba Kaien was handsome, but she assumed that he was no different than any of the other men in her division who would have loved to receive her attention. So she played hard to get - but he was determined not to let it dissuade him. When Kaien had set his mind on something, he didn't give up; even if it was going to kill him.

His rough-edged personality had been a bit much for her at first, but Miyako eventually realized that he never pretended to be anyone other than himself. It had taken her a while to get used to his open and unreserved nature, but after he asked her to dinner for perhaps the 3486th time, she finally said yes. Miyako took it slow with him - tortoise-walking-on-a-conveyor-belt slow. Most men were interested only in her body or her family name. After a while, though, she was convinced that Kaien didn't seem to care about those things as much as she had expected.

To him, Hikifune Miyako was intriguing. She was a woman who could have had anyone or anything she wanted; yet she chose a quiet, humble path no different than even the "Stranded" - those like Ise Nanao who appeared in Soul Society without anyone else they knew from a previous lifetime. To Kaien, an even higher-ranking noble who passionately shunned the life of luxury (as opposed to Miyako who had simply opted out of it for personal reasons), this quality of humility was more important than her stunning beauty. Of course, he never neglected to comment that her physical attractiveness was a huge bonus, but he had always admired Miyako's unassuming and nurturing qualities.

Because they met through the Gotei 13, Kaien had no idea she was even related to the House of Banzo until long after they had fallen in love; as Miyako wasn't eager to share this information; worried about the political implications. She expected him to be angry with her for not telling him sooner, but he didn't care. The wedding had been laced with heavy tension and spat in the face of the aristocracy. The Council for Nobility had declared their engagement a violation of noble protocol, as Kirio was still "unsecured", as they put it. By this time, Miyako was thankful that she was marrying into the Shiba family, who had a general disdain for the stuffiness of aristocracy. She, too, had learned the value of the freedom associated with equality for all, where a name was nothing more than a name. Even though she was a pure-blooded noblewoman, Miyako ascribed it little value; preferring to judge people based on their care and concern for others rather than some antiquated tenet of the self-serving oligarchy.

Jirobu protested their interference, but the Council of Nobility threatened to kill him unless he refused to meet their demands. The situation put a lot of strain on the reputation of the House of Shiba, but that merely foreshadowed what was to come twenty years later; when Isshahine permanently damaged the family's name with his own marital scandal. Miyako forgave him, of course. She was sad to say that she knew Tanabi better than anyone, given what she had seen inside his head. Although she felt deeply sorry for Ichihime, she understood Isshashine's decision, even if she still thought he made a grave mistake.

In the end, Jirobu was officially banned from providing financial support for her own wedding. He insisted on providing his fair share under the table, but it definitely complicated things. What made the situation truly tense, though, was that the Council for Nobility officially banned the extended Hikifune, Kyoraku, or Banzo families from coming to the wedding. Some did anyway - Uncle Shunsui was never one to miss a party - but it had still been a very emotionally stressful time for Miyako, and made her wonder if Kaien ever resented marrying her.

It had been only the first of many insecurities in the early years of their marriage, but Kaien had been so good to her. As Fate would have it, her captain, Ukitake Jushiro, gave her wonderful marital advice; and to her surprise, Kaien agreed to his suggested open-heart circles. They had done them for over thirty years, and Miyako loved Kaien endlessly for it. Those little rituals became the cornerstone of her life; the epicenter of her serenity and well-being. Those moments with her husband were the times when Miyako felt so safe and secure that she felt truly invincible. Kaien's sincere love and devotion to her had been exactly what she needed ever since Kirio vanished into Division Zero, and no matter how much she never thought she deserved someone as wonderful as Kaien, she was thankful to Fate for bringing them together, no matter how much difficulty she had endured along the way.

So as much as Fate had been hard to her in some aspects, it had always paid her back. When Miyako died at the tentacles of Metastacia - a monster that Aizen created who had been able to resist her mind control - she thought she would never have had the chance to see Kaien ever again. The man she loved would not be present for her death, and although she had always known it could have been a possibility, Shiba Miyako was deeply sad that her final moments were spent without him. She was even more traumatized by the fact that she had been sent to Hell of all places; but perhaps now it finally made sense. As Miyako firmly believed, Fate was never random. Fate had always made it up to her before, and perhaps now, she had finally been paid back one last time. It certainly seemed too perfect an opportunity to say goodbye for it to have all been thrown together by random chance. Her sword was indeed right - the pieces fit too neatly for Fate to be playing some kind of practical joke on her.

Clara peered into the reflective surface of the hard water floor, looking lost for a moment. "Do you feel better, Miko-chan, now that you had a chance to say goodbye?"

Miyako inhaled deeply and seemed to gather herself together, a bit of confidence finally shining through. "Yes, Clara-san, I do."

"Well, good. Because if you didn't, I swear I'd kill you for pulling off such a ridiculous stunt," she chuckled.

Miyako gave her a dissatisfied frown. "Alright, alright. I told you, I already feel horrible."

Clara rolled her eye. "You never learn, do you?"

Miyako sighed with a smile. "No, I guess not."

"Well, good luck with Saya Shosho."

Miyako gave her a puzzled expression. "You're used to calling her that already? I still can't get used to it."

"No, I'm not used to it. But while you were basically peers in the Shinigami ranks, you're a Handoshi now. You may be the fastest-climbing Handoshi soldier in history, but the Brigadier General was, and perhaps still is, the highest-ranking woman in all of Hell. She has every right to roast you alive."

"I'll wiggle my way out of it somehow," Miyako answered, a flash of bravery shining on her face.

"Like I said - good luck with that," Clara replied sarcastically, and then shook her wizened head. "Put it all behind you, Miko-chan. If you do, maybe one of these days you may actually learn."

Miyako hesitated. "...I hope so."

Clara put a reassuring hand on her master's shoulder. "Kuchiki-san did, and she had far more problems than you ever had. If she can do it, so can you."

A tiny nostalgic tear formed in her eye as Miyako gave a wide smile. "You sound just like Kai."

Her sword spirit laughed and quoted Miyako's husband from their previous lifetime: " _'Now if only my wife would love you as much as I do.' _"

Miyako smiled warmly at the memory. Kaien must have said that to Miyako a zillion-and-one times, and it always had a bit of truth to it. For the first time in ages, Miyako felt like she was ready to begin accepting who she was, good and bad and everything in between. Yes, perhaps she could learn to have faith in herself a bit more. "I'll try, Clara-san. I really will. I owe it to Kaien."

"You owe it to _yourself_, Miko-chan," Clara corrected.

Miyako smiled. "You're right," she admitted. Trying very hard to step in the right direction, Miyako tried to verbalize her own deficiency; knowing that owning up to the problem really was the only way she could start fixing it. "Thanks, Clara-san. I--- I'm glad you love me during the times when I don't love myself."

"Don't mention it," the old woman said. Miyako really was a good woman. Not too many masters treated their swords with such dignity and respect. Clara had met many shinigami, and Miyako was the only one she knew of who nearly always addressed her zanpakutou with an honorific attached. As much as Miyako could never see it in herself, Clara knew she was just a troubled saint - a woman who was so genuinely good inside that she couldn't even accept how truly good she really was. "Now figure out a way to get Saya Shosho to forgive you."

Miyako gave an alluring smile. "I can be charming," she teased.

Now it was Clara's turn to laugh. Miko-chan could definitely be charming, that was for sure. "Go; get out of here. Don't ruin everyone's chance for a happy ending."

-:-

Miyako opened her eyes with a shrewd grin as she sheathed her katana. "Well, I agree that it would be best not to ruin Kuchiki-san's big day, but hopefully I'll get to say hello some other time. I would really love to catch up with her and find out how she's doing; I'm sure if I did I would be very proud of who she's become," Miyako replied, rainbows and cupcakes overtly baked into her confident voice. "As for Kaien," she paused to take a breath, "wherever he could be, Ise Fukutaicho, I hope that he found someone who makes him happy," she said oh-so-innocently. "I know that's the way I would want it."

Nanao blinked stupidly for a moment. She had been waiting anxiously for several moments to see what Miyako was going to do once her katana's steel blade turned to diamond - but the Handoshi in front of her had remained completely still, unmoving and eerily silent. Miyako's sudden return to the conversation left her a bit off-guard.

_Duh,_ Nanao realized. Hell doesn't exactly choose just anybody to join its ranks. Each candidate is hand-picked by the Great King of Hell himself; after all, it's not exactly a job for just anyone. Nanao had wondered why, of all people, the sweet-hearted Miyako would be chosen for the Handoshi - but now, it became instantly clear. Telepathy and mindraking were valuable skills when one needed to punish the wicked for sins no one else knew about.

Nanao did not ever believe that there were zanpakutou out there that were scarier than hers, but she now considered herself incredibly lucky. Wow, I don't even want to _think _about all of the awfully evil things I would be inclined to do with such an ability, she thought, utterly horrified with the idea. Nanao was pretty sure she wouldn't have trusted anybody other than the woman standing in front of her with such a power. The angelic Miyako was quite probably the only person in the entire universe so utterly pure-hearted enough to be entrusted with such an easily abusable weapon.

No matter how invasive Miyako's shikai had been, Nanao was relieved that Miyako was not going to gut anybody like a fish. She decided to take Miyako's not-so-subtle suggestion, and let sleeping dogs lie. Instead, Nanao decided it would be better to simply give a polite response to the woman who literally just raped her brain to find out where her husband was. Given the extenuating circumstances, it was understandable. If Nanao could mindprobe, she likely would have done so for much less important things.

"I'm sure he would want the same for you," Nanao answered, her tone clearly indicating she knew Miyako had combed her mind but that she, too, would pretend like it never happened.

Miyako rolled her eyes, happy that she could relax. "Are you kidding me? The only good man in all of Hell is your cavaliere; and Percival's holding out until he can find you when he comes out in a few centuries." She laughed, and then casually added: "I have no idea how I'm going to go ten thousand years without sex."

Nanao erupted into hysterical laughter, collapsing into Miyako's shoulder in spurts and spasms from the completely unexpected quip. Miyako couldn't help herself, and burst out into equally boisterous giggles. It didn't take long until the laughter evolved into something warm and meaningful, and the two women shared a unique moment; slapping each other on the back and completely understanding each other deeper than most people ever could.

Laughter was not something someone generally experienced in Hell, so both of them cherished the spontaneous eruption of deep, gut-busting happiness. Both of them were relieved to know now that neither of them was alone. For until then, the burdens of Hell sat upon their shoulders - but now, for Ise Nanao and Hikifune Miyako, Hell was just another name for home.

* * *

_"I exist as a being without any interruption in the cycle of life and death!"  
~Szayel Aporro_

_**And thus the golden fan folds around the diamond sword - Fate's Curtain closes again, for here endeth Act III.**_

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___Of course I couldn't kill Rukia! I am a firm believer in happy endings (well, most of the time, anyway). Although some of you figured out that the silver-sky-water-floor area from last chapter was Miyako's inner world, I bet none of you realized that Miyako was simply fighting to take control of Rukia's body. Heh heh heh, I'm really not **that** evil._

___I would provide my usual section full of author's notes, but there's really not a whole lot to say here. Crossover Cup will return next chapter, unless there is a sudden outpouring of questions. :)_

_Act IV begins soon __- so many loose ends to wrap up! So many exciting things to see and hear!_ Stay tuned! **REVIEWS, PLEASE! Keep the love coming! _-njx_**


	41. Kotsubaki Tree, Reprise

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Bleach.

_Welcome to Act IV. Enjoy! __Note that Act IV has a mostly linear chronology; but that it does some jumping back and forth. The flow was easier that way; it shouldn't be hard to follow. -njx_

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_"Love is complicated. It never resembles the naive tales one reads about in even the best of stories."  
~Kuchiki Rukia to Ukitake Jushiro,  
one of the last scenes in "Save This For Kuchiki"_

* * *

Rukia was nestled in her husband's arms. They had spent the majority of their time quietly, bound up in each other. It had been five long weeks and they were so happy to be in each other's presence that they didn't feel a need to say much. They had long mastered silent conversations, and this was but a mere continuation of their previous discussions. They stole a few tame kisses here and there, but neither of them wanted to smear her makeup because that would have been mortifying for both of them.

"Hey, Rukia," Ichigo said, breaking the silence. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Sure," she sighed contently. He smelled so good.

"I've been meaning to ask you this for a while now. Just exactly how old are you, anyway?"

Neither of them were aware of the grand dramatic irony of a timestop occurring and then eventually concluding at this very moment. Just like no one knew what was happening in the chamber, they were blissfully unaware of what was happening outside of it.

Notably, Rukia felt oddly woozy for a moment, as though heavy-duty painkillers were numbing a migraine; but it passed in only a second, so she thought nothing of it. Ichigo thought he felt her shift imperceptibly, as though one moment she was positioned one way and the next moment somehow twisted slightly differently - but he figured his mind was just playing tricks on him. Neither had any clue that Fate had just manipulated time and space to grant a saintly woman her well-deserved reward.

"Me? Almost one hundred and eighty-four. But don't tell anyone, okay?" she teased. She always found the human stereotype of a woman never telling her age to be funny.

Ichigo smirked. "Sounds kinda odd when you think about the fact that I'm only sixteen."

She laughed. "I try not to think about it." Seriously. I could be arrested in some countries, she thought.

"Yeah, well, I guess getting married officially makes you a cougar, then."

"Idiot," she huffed, rolling her eyes at him. She would have hit him, but he was too handsome to bruise today.

-:-

Ise Nanao put her happy, excited and festive mood back together. She didn't go through all this effort just to become the Crowngifter and learn bankai. It was Rukia's wedding! Despite the hellish events that had just occurred (she chuckled at her lame pun), she had promised herself that after planning the whole thing, she was going to have fun. Nanao was not going to let thoughts of her captain get in the way of her fun today - she might even let Matsumoto convince her to try one of those fruity drinks adorned with one of those cute little umbrellas. Even better, Nanao wouldn't have to worry about her zanpakutou bothering her. Saya, who was not used to such lavish meals, was so drunk that she had fallen asleep. Such a teenager, Nanao chuckled.

Ise took her place about twenty feet from the door, where she had been standing when she felt the timestop start. She took one last look to make sure that the Handoshi had erased all evidence of a conflict, and was satisfied that no one would notice a thing.

Seeing Miyako again was wonderful, she thought. Even though it had been a bit tense for a few moments, once the secret was out, things instantly became comfortable; just like old times. The two spent several minutes catching up as the remainder of the Handoshi sergeants did their last-minute inspections. It really is too bad that she couldn't stay and enjoy the wedding, Nanao thought. I really am going to steal Percival's cello if he doesn't send her when I call.

Nanao took a moment to think of Ichihime. She hadn't intended on it, but she had done her a favor. Ichihime detested her father, but likely never would have had the heart to challenge him. Ise had freed her from his smothering dominance without Ichihime needing to sell her soul to the devil.

That thought made her laugh. _Meh, I did that already; I came out okay._

Taking a deep breath and reminding herself that she really, really owed Isane-chan her life, Nanao broke the timestop with a thought: _Game face on... **now.**_

Nanao swaggered over to the door, pleasantly noticing that several men other than Kyoraku were not-so-subtly looking at her ass. Hisagi, though, was looking at her face. She wasn't sure whether that made her happy or disappointed, but she decided she liked it anyway.

Nanao returned a sultry smile to the 9th division vice captain and knocked on the door to the seclusion chamber four times, as though nothing out of the ordinary had happened at all.

-:-

"I guess that means we have to go put on a show," muttered Ichigo. "And we were having such a good time in here all by ourselves."

Rukia patted his chest. "Shh, if you talk too loudly they'll get the wrong idea."

"I thought that was the whole point! Isn't it a consummation thing?"

She glared at him, and he shut up. He remembered what his father had taught him: the wife is always right.

Ichigo knocked on the door four times, and Rukia smiled in anticipation. Nanao pulled open the doors, and Rukia and Ichigo ran into a sea of confetti. The whole crowd was cheering and dancing around them, the music was blasting, and there were smiles and laughter everywhere.

-:-

Kuchiki Byakuya, Shiba Kuukaku, and the pink, green, red, and blue bodies in kimonos headed back to the Kuchiki estate. Kira Izuru, Hisagi Shuhei, and Hitsugaya Toshiro were invited to tag along at the request of their respective dates for the evening; and Tori was invited to follow along with them rather than go on her own. Ganju, who had no one else to talk to, was discussing the finer points of gardening with her. Renji was annoyed that Ichihime couldn't come with them, but her father was missing and she needed to find out what happened to him.

Matsumoto had whined to her captain that Chad was too shy to invite her along, but Hitsugaya was in no mood. His fukutaicho was too drunk to be tactful. Besides, as infantile as it made him feel, Hitsugaya was secretly hoping for more quiet time with Karin. He felt childish having the hots for her, but he reminded himself of the storage closet and quickly buried his inner protestations.

The whole crowd escorted Rukia and Ichigo to their bridal suite, and then the others were invited for tea in the Kuchiki dining room, where much shmoozing was done. Eventually, the bridesmaids and groomsmen were excused to change into their standard attire, and then everyone left for their respective residences.

Hitsugaya was excited to be able to take Karin and her stuff to Yoruichi's manor, although his enthusiasm was dampened when he discovered Orihime was coming, too. Ganju took Ishida and Chad back to his place. Hinamori was glad to be escorted back to her room in the barracks by Kira, but Nanao and Hisagi went for a walk, opting to take the scenic route back to her private room by the 8th division barracks.

Along the way, Nanao was shocked to pass by a small tea house and see her other close friend, Kotetsu Isane, still there in her business-like white wedding attire. Isane was drinking hot cocoa across the tale from Hanataro Yamada, someone Ise only recognized because of his frequent trips to the library. In the shinigami world, Yamada was the epitome of a nobody; but here he was, several hours after the wedding with his vice captain. Not only was Isane smiling, but she was even blushing.

"Hisagi-san," she remarked, shaking her head with a smile, "I've had quite a day. I swear, you don't even know the _half_ of it. But _now?_ Now, I've seen _everything._"

Shuhei wasn't totally sure what the big deal was, but was indeed surprised that the 4th division vice captain was out on a date. He had always just assumed she and her captain had something going on, although he never had evidence to really suggest it. "That's for sure," he said agreeably, placing his hand on the small of her back. Nanao was most pleased.

By the end of the evening, both vice captains Hinamori and Ise earned a kiss for their troubles. Momo was naively thrilled with the simple peck on the lips, but Nanao decided Hisagi was tough enough to hold his breath for four minutes; and then, using her better judgement for once, she sent him home. Both women went to sleep that night utterly exhausted, but more content than they had been in a long time.

-:-

Several hours after the wedding had ended, Kotsubaki woke up.

The last thing he remembered, Soifon Taicho was dragging him off the dance floor, against his protestations that he wanted to see the bride and groom. He was pretty sure his vice captain wouldn't have wanted him to leave without wishing them congratulations first - but Soifon simply ignored him, grumbling something about an ungracious cat. Kotsubaki wasn't exactly sure what her problem was, but "don't ask" was likely the safest policy.

From what he could tell, he was in a southern district of the Rukongai, naked and tied to a tree. He had absolutely no idea how he got here, or why, or where his clothes were. He was completely clueless as to what the 2nd division captain did to him, if anything at all; and he was stumped trying to figure out how he was going to untie himself. Kotsubaki strongly suspected a memory modifier was involved. She was Onmitsukido, after all.

On second thought, he figured, maybe I should swear off women, too.

-:-

Ichigo and Rukia listened at the door, waiting quietly until the din of their escort departed, and they were left in quiet silence.

Then it was awkward.

Ichigo looked around. "Nice room. Looks like Byakuya didn't spare any details."

Rukia surveyed the enormous king-size bed and the private bathroom. There was a large stack of white cotton towels waiting for them, along with various soaps, shampoos, and other items of personal hygiene. A small fire flickered opposite the bed radiated a tender warmth, and a large ice bucket in the corner contained bottles of what appeared to be champagne. A plate of strawberries waited on a nighttable, along with some small chocolates and a pair of wineglasses. "Yeah... it's really something."

The gesture was wonderful, but neither of them felt like eating. The food at the wedding had been plentiful and delicious. It wasn't quite Yuzu's, but it was damn good; so neither of them had any need for further delicacies. Besides, they were both a bit too apprehensive to eat.

Ichigo put his hand on the towels. "I don't know about you, but I'm thinking a shower would feel great right now."

Rukia breathed a sigh of relief. "That sounds like the best idea I ever heard of."

Both of them realized how that exchange could have been severely misinterpreted. Ichigo was the first to cut the tension. "Um, why don't you go first?"

Rukia kissed him on the cheek, relieved that he didn't ask her to join him. "Hey, could you just untie my obi in the back?"

"Yeah, of course." He stood behind her and fussed with the knot, but her smell was distracting him. If it wasn't for the fact that he felt so incredibly awkward right now, Ichigo would have been ripping off her clothes any minute. "Um, can I take out these chopsticks?"

"Yes," she whispered, her voice clearly nervous.

He did so, and her hair fell back down to its usual style. She shook her head and preened her tresses a bit, running her fingers through her hair to relax her scalp. Ichigo continued to pull at the heavy obi knot while Rukia removed her earrings, choker, bracelet, brooch and badge; laying all of them in a designated tray that rested on a side table.

When Ichigo finally got the knot undone, she grabbed his hands and pulled them around her waist, and leaned her head back into his chest. Ichigo kissed Rukia's forehead, and they stayed like that for a few moments. The sexual tension was palpable, and neither of them really knew what to do next. Finally, Rukia let him help her unwrap the heavy obi, careful not to let Ichihime's wooden hip charm get tangled up in it.

Rukia slowly walked into the bathroom and closed the door. Carefully, she delicately removed her inherited kimono and hung it on a designated spot. She had forgotten altogether about the embarrassing lingerie she was wearing underneath - thankful that Ichigo had not seen it - and began to wonder what she should do. She had to admit, at least Matsumoto had picked out something comfortable - but seeing the not-so-subtle bra-and-panty set made her feel completely out of place.

Do I walk out like this? Do I shower first, and then put them back on? That might defeat the purpose of a shower....ugh. I'm so confused.

Regardless, Rukia found it prudent to hunt around in the medicine cabinet, looking for the box that she had asked Tori to stash in here for her. Reading the directions carefully first, she took one of the birth-control pills that the Vaizard Gals had given her, and then paused to stare at the packaging. Taking the pill made her feel even more awkward.

Before today, she had only kissed the guy once, and now she was supposed to sleep with him? It wasn't that she didn't want to - _hell yes,_ she wanted to - but she couldn't get over her anxiety. Rukia had always felt immensely vulnerable when even her knees or shoulders were exposed; and she was trying to come to grips with nearly two centuries of guarding her personal privacy. Rukia grew up in the worst parts of Inazuri, some of the worst slums of the Rukongai. It was not the place for a woman to attract that kind of attention. Anytime a man looked at Rukia like that, she would kick him in the crotch and run like hell. No matter how much Rukia found Ichigo attractive, the idea of physical affection had always terrified her.

_Ichigo waited for me this long, but I don't have an excuse anymore,_ she thought. _I **have** to make this work. Goddamnit, what is wrong with me? I love him. I know I want to, but why do I feel so uncomfortable? I should be able to do this._

**_Right?_**

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_Reviews, please! Next chapter: Not telling, but it will be up soon enough. :)_

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~~Crossover Cup!~~

Today's special guest: _Jahana Mao _from Blood+!

_Mao:_ What a lame woman she is. C'mon, girl, don't be bashful - go get him!

_Nathan: _Don't you think that's a tad hypocritical?

_Mao: _Hey, what are you talking about? I chased all over the freaking world for Kai, and when I finally kissed him he wasn't even interested!

_Nathan: _Um, I was talking about Okamura.

_Mao: _He's, like, thirty! I'm sixteen!

_Nathan:_ Mao, you're not kidding anyone. You travel all over the world with him. You can't tell me you're that innocent.

_Mao (slaps Nathan hard): _I can't believe you!

_Okamura (from offstage): _Jahana-san, here's your prescrip---

_Mao (throwing a book at him): SHUT UP!_

_Rukia (firing a Hado #66 Soren Sokatsui): **YOUR RUCKUS IS NOT HELPING!**_

_Nathan (ducking for cover): _See you later, everybody!


	42. The Beloved Shadow, Reprise

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Bleach. Barbie is a registered trademark of Mattel, Inc.

_**Translator's notes: **_

_1) The arcane honorific "-ue" (pronounced 'oo-eh') denotes a great level of respect, similar to "-sama". However, unlike "-dono" (which is not used in modern Japanese and is typically found only in 'samurai speech'), the suffix "-ue" has survived to modern day for a very narrow usage, specifically as a suffix for some variations of parental names. _

_In Japanese, the kanji for 'father' can be prounounced three ways: The Chinese-origin variant "FU", and the two Japanese-origin variants "TOU" and "CHICHI". The first Japanese variant is often prefixed with the honorary 'o' and the typical suffixes -chan, -san, or -sama: Otousan, Touchan, Otousama, etc. The second variant is a bit different - like "Papa" and "Oyaji" (other Japanese names for "Dad"), the name "Chichi" is never joined with these standard honorifics, and can be politley used by itself._

_However, unlike __'Oyaji' or_ 'Papa' (yes, papa is really used in Japanese), the term for father 'Chichi' is one of the few cases where the arcane -ue suffix can still be used: e.g. "Chichi-ue", loosely translated as 'Honorable father' and has a slightly more formal tone to it than 'Otousama'. The similar variations for 'mother' exist as well: Okaa**san** but Haha**-ue.**

_2) _A tangent into offensive language, feel free to skip if you want: _The Japanese insult 'boke' (pronounced 'boh-keh') typically means "airhead", "ditz", or "space cadet". It is not typically a very severe word. However, when spoken aggressively, it can have very severe connotations like 'asshat', 'fuckup', __'dickhead', _or even 'shitface'; although these usages are uncommon. The meaning is usually inferred from context, and for this reason the word can be used ambiguously to mask one's true opinion of a situation; e.g. a seemingly innocuous remark that hides a much stronger insult. It is notable Dattebayo Fansubs chooses to translate 'boke' as 'dickhead' when Shinji and Hiyori are exchanging insults in the Turn Back the Pendulum arc.

_3) "Wakaramashita" (usually pronounced 'wakarimashta') means "I understand", but it is a catchphrase ranging from the casual "Sure, got it" to the heavy "Understood, sir"._

_Sorry for the heavy linguistics, some things just don't work well in English. Thanks for putting up with it. -njx_

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"I had such a nice time tonight, Isane-san." Hanataro couldn't believe his luck. He had only spilled his drink twice tonight, and both times she had laughed with him about it, helping him clean up his mess. He was at least smart enough to only order water, knowing that it was inevitably going to happen; but he managed to completely avoid spilling it on her. He never expected things to go so well.

She blushed again. Isane wasn't actually sure if she had ever stopped blushing, actually. "Me too, Hanataro-kun," she smiled bashfully. He was so easy to spend time with - he wasn't intimidating at all. She didn't have to pretend to be someone she wasn't, or hide her idiosyncracies - Yamada Hanataro was so non-threatening that she could be herself. Hanataro-kun didn't seem to care that she was a bit weird. Besides, she thought his squeaky voice was cute.

"Maybe, Isane-san, we could meet for tea tomorrow? Maybe after the day shift?" he asked bravely. Things were going well, he might as well go for it.

"I would like that," she answered with a shy smile.

They continued walking side by side for another minute until they reached the fourth division barracks. Isane had the night off, but Hanataro was on call that night, so he was going to continue on to the infirmary.

"I'll see you tomorrow, then," Hanataro offered. She answered with an inviting nod, accepting his offer; and he felt more victorious than he ever had in his entire life.

Isane didn't want him to go, but she knew he had a job to do. She wanted to say _something_, but was too unsure of herself to know what to say. Isane fidgeted, putting her hands behind her back like she always did when she was feeling insecure.

Hanataro was about to go when he thought of his zanpakutou's encouragement: _You can do this, buddy! I know you can!_

Yamada was pretty embarrassed when he climbed up two steps ahead of her, but he was too short to reach her face otherwise. Standing on his tiptoes and careful not to fall over onto his face - not an easy feat for him - Hanataro closed his eyes and found courage he thought he never had.

Isane blushed and giggled when he kissed her on the cheek. She felt warm all over, and despite her own bashfulness, got over it enough to return the gesture. Her rose lip gloss left a little imprint on his cheek, which she wiped off with her fingers, mortified - but he just laughed and smiled at her, happy to feel her touch his face. Isane was relieved. If she had left lipstick on anybody else's cheek, it would have been horrifyingly embarrassing, but with him, it was just cute.

"Good night," she told him, and then walked into her room, smiling at him one last time as she closed the door.

Isane slowly changed into pajamas, feeling warm and giddy all over. She had never believed she was going to have so much fun today. Usually, large social events overwhelmed her, but today she had a nice companion who was only interested in her. It didn't matter that Hanataro was a bit of a klutz, and a goof, and was ridiculously short - he had a good heart. More than anything, she felt so comfortable around him. It was nice.

For the first time in eighty years, Kotetsu Isane slept a whole night without a single nightmare. Her sleep was unbroken, black, unconscious rest. It was pure bliss.

-:-

Kuukaku had not been this happy in a long time. She had been lonely for many years, and although she had gone through boyfriends in the Rukongai from time to time, it was very clear that such relationships were not expected to last very long. Despite her externally casual and laid-back attitude, Kuukaku was actually a deeply contemplative woman. Like all other nobility, she had received an extensive education; and most of the men she met in the Rukongai did not have the intelligence nor the sophistication that she knew she would have required in a long-term relationship.

Now, though, she had been holding Kuchiki Byakuya's hand for hours, and he had refused to leave her side; not even to change out of his yellow kimono that she knew he found unflattering. It was fairly surprising to her, actually. He was a remarkably kinesthetic individual. Even though he rarely spoke any words that were emotional in nature, nor did his facial expressions ever really give much indication of his feelings, he conveyed everything through his fingers. His touch was _very _emotional - he would squeeze her hand tightly to be reassuring or caring, caress her fingers, massage her knuckles, or even stroke the palm of her hand with his thumb. Although Byakuya rarely even looked at her, he made no attempt to hide holding hands with her; simply preferring the subtleties of this very secretive and private form of communication.

It was different than what she had expected. Kuukaku had thought that Byakuya would be very hesitant to acknowledge any kind of relationship with her in public, but he was far from it. For a man seemingly so externally cold, his touch was unusually affectionate. Kuukaku was positive that Byakuya had been repressing his feelings for her for several weeks now, but she was surprised by how much he was really holding back. It made Kuukaku feel a little less guilty about trying to force him to open up to her. Not that she really felt so guilty, but still, it was nice to know she hadn't been plucking his heartstrings without good cause.

As the crowd dwindled, Byakuya did not seem to be ready for her to go. Kuukaku did not believe for one moment that he would ask her to spend the night with him - she was sure that he would refuse that until marriage - but she was not at all eager to leave, and was therefore happy to stay for as long as she seemed welcome. Besides, she was very proud to be wearing a yellow Head of House kimono, and was savoring the opportunity to feel a bit reintegrated into the high life for a change. Kuukaku didn't have a particularly strong affinity towards nobility, but after being an outcast for so long, it was rewarding to feel included again.

As superficially quiet as he was, Byakuya had been trying very hard to be attentive to her, considering that as the bride's Head of House, social niceties demanded that he do his rounds amongst those guests who had been invited to the more elite after-wedding party. He had even asked his staff to bring some very expensive sake up from the cellar for her to try, and it was indeed excellent. In particular, though, Kuukaku was enjoying the fact that she didn't even need to be a smartass with him for a change.

After the last of the company had left, Kuukaku thought it was time to say goodbye, but Byakuya surprised her yet again. "Kuukaku-san," he said quietly.

"Yes, Byakuya-san?"

He squeezed her hand tightly. His voice was uncharacteristically weak. "I... I--- I am... I am not ready. Not yet."

Kuukaku debated whether to be sly or soft with him, but in the end decided now was not the time to be playful. "Marriage is a very important decision, Byakuya-san. Just because I'm a crazy person ready to dive into things head-first does not mean that you have to be. I want you to find your own way - and when you decide the time has come, even if it doesn't come for another hundred years, I'll be waiting for you." It was a sappy statement, but considering how she got a kiss out of him today, apparently the Kuchiki prince had a thing for overly sentimental speeches.

Byakuya gave her an uninterpretable expression. She wasn't sure if she should say something, but he spoke before she could say anything further. "Please, come with me."

Kuukaku had no idea where he was going, but she nodded and followed after him.

He brought her into a large but very austere room, and after a few moments, spoke tentatively. "...I hope that you will not be offended, Kuukaku-san, but I would like to know if you will sit with me here, if even for only a moment." Slowly, Byakuya opened up a set of shouji screens to reveal a series of portraits of former members of the Kuchiki family. The most prominent one, in the center, was a picture of Byakuya's late wife.

Tears came to Kuukaku's eyes, and she squeezed his hand with a reassuring grip. "Byakuya-san, I have never been so honored in my entire life," she cried, unable to restrain her happiness. Never in a million years did she _ever _think he would open his heart like this to her. Byakuya was not a man of many words, but no words ever could have expressed that which his actions just demonstrated.

To many, the invitation could indeed be seen as highly offensive - but Kuukaku knew better. He could have said _'I love you'_ and it would not have conveyed even one quarter of the meaning of what he had just done. Touched beyond words, she was so overjoyed that she felt compelled to return the sentiment. Removing the wreath of flowers from her short arm, she gingerly reached up to touch his cheek with the exposed stub. The deeply intimate and vulnerable nature of the gesture was not lost on him. "It would be my greatest, most cherished pleasure, Byakuya-san. Truly, deeply, the most treasured honor I have ever received."

They kneeled together on the floor, and Byakuya put his arm around her. She leaned her head on his shoulder, and together - together, as one entity in the fabric of the history - they shared a long, precious evening of quiet; sitting in the shadow of Kuchiki Hisana.

-:-

Ichihime was a whirlwind of emotion as she stormed into the servant's quarters in Banzo Mansion. _"Where the hell is Mikoro!"_ she yelled at the top of her lungs.

Servants scrambled to and fro. Eventually, Mikoro came scrambling down the hallway. "Banzo-dono," he panted, "I am sorry to keep you waiting."

His sycophantic tone left a bad taste in Ichihime's mouth. "Go get my father's zanpakutou and bring it to the dining room immediately," she ordered.

"Uh, but--"

"Mikoro, my father is missing and I have the patience of a ravenous panther. I want Claymore on the dining toom table in ten minutes, _or I'm going to chop off your head with it!"_

Mikoro smiled nervously. "Yes, Banzo-dono, I'll get to it right away."

Ichihime marched off in a huff. On personal policy, Ichihime thought it was important to treat servants with dignity, but Mikoro was the exception. She viewed him as an accomplice to her father's shameful behavior. As the majordomo of the Banzo House and her father's personal aid, he should have had enough of a spine to tell her father when he was being a dick, but he was a complete ass-kisser. Ichihime had lost respect for him ages ago.

Settling into the dining room, Ichihime struggled to understand how she was feeling. In some ways, the wedding had been miserable. In others, it had been fun - Abarai Renji made for great company. Seeing a red kimono always drudged up bad memories, but it had been profoundly gratifying to see the purple scarf on her senpai, Lieutenant Glasses; who was long overdue for some real respect and honor. It was all so mind-boggling - she was trying to understand how she could have been both miserable and happy at the same time.

Three servants, under Mikoro's direction, heaved the gargantuan Scottish claymore onto the table. Ichihime's father had an unusual zanpakutoh - it was among the few that were always in constant-release shikai form. What made it particularly unusual was that constant-release zanpakutou are most often found amongst those who have poor control of their reiatsu. Obviously as a master kido expert and pure-blooded progeny of the Four Houses, Banzo Tanabi had no trouble controlling his spiritual pressure. Ichihime long speculated that his constant-release zanpakutou was a reflection of her father's inability to constrain his unending hatred for nearly everyone around him.

His zanpakutou, the terribly-unexcitingly-named Claymore, was a huge, wide, heavy, four-foot-long, two-handed monstrosity that could easily cleave a horse in half. Ichihime was loathe to touch it - Claymore was a ruthlessly evil blade that had willingly served its owner to perform only-god-knows-how-many cruel, despicable acts - but she needed to check.

Nodding thanks to the crew who had hauled in the heavy sword, she gestured for them to depart while Mikoro should remain. Tentatively, Ichihime grabbed the hilt.

It was completely devoid of spirit. Not one speck of reishi was left in the blade. It was confirmed: her father was dead.

"Mikoro," Ichihime said quietly. "Chichi-boke is dead." Just because he went off and died didn't mean she was going to all of a sudden start calling him 'Chichi-ue' again.

"I'm sorry, Ichihime-sama."

"I'm not," she spat, even though she wasn't sure it was totally true. She may have hated him, but he was her father. That had to count for something, right?

Mikoro fidgeted nervously. "If I may beseech you, Ichihime-sama, on behalf of the entire servant staff, to not act hastily in your new position as Head of House."

The realization dawned upon Ichihime that she was now officially in charge. The implications were too much to process at the moment - but the fact that this obsequious, self-serving asshole was nudging her not to kick his rotten ass out onto the street just completely pissed her off. "You _prick__!_" she grimaced.

"Please, Ichihime-sama, I never liked your father. I only liked his money," Mikoro pleaded desperately. "I ruined my career by leaving the service of the Kuchiki family, and it was a horrible mistake. I was exceedingly lucky to find employment here. Your father treated me like dirt, but because of this job I can feed, clothe, and shelter my family. I have no loyalty to him, and so I ask only out of concern for my wife and son."

Ichihime was shocked that despite knowing Mikoro for over fifty years, she had not known he had a family. She immediately became angry with herself, ashamed that she had become so callous that she was unaware of such important details. "You have a son?" she asked stupidly, unsure what she should have said.

"Y-yes, Ichihime-sama. He is thirty-two."

"Still a young kid," Ichihime remarked blankly, feeling detached from the world. Ichihime felt like one herself at the moment. At 117, Ichihime was already a woman - equivalent of an earthly twenty-four year-old --- but now, she felt like an unprepared teenager prematurely thrust into adulthood. She was her family's Head of House now, and it came with a lot of responsibilities that she was not quite ready for.

Ichihime realized she had a lot to learn. As much as she felt nobility was exploitative of servants, Mikoro's plea made her realize that servant life didn't _have_ to be bad. Even the geishas, who were clearly taken advantage of in the worst ways imaginable, had food, clothes, and a bed to sleep in; even if they were forced to share it. It was probably better than the prostitution rings they would have been forced into out in the Rukongai, and they probably knew it, too. Whether Ichihime would have wanted it or not, these people's lives were now in her hands, and the responsibility overwhelmed her.

She was no stranger to being responsible for another's life - she had been a seated officer for a long time now, and led platoons on missions for many years. Yet that was different - keeping soldiers alive was different than being accountable for so many people's dreams and futures. It was daunting - Ichihime wasn't ready for this.

"Mikoro," she began, a bit dazed and confused, "I.... I can't think about this now."

"_Wakaramashita_, Ichihime-sama."

Ichihime was mildly annoyed with him, just because. "What's with this sudden familiarity? You never called me that before; always 'Banzo-dono'."

Mikoro backtracked. "My greatest apologies, Banzo-dono. Your father always forbid us to call you by your personal name; which I assumed you preferred - but I was apparently mistaken. Please forgive me," he bowed humbly.

Figures, she thought. Just like my bastard father to do something like that. "No, no; 'Ichihime' is fine," she reassured him, trying to be nice. Despite her distaste for the man, it would be impossible for her to successfully succeed her father without him. He knew where everything was, who was employed, where the funds were kept, who the contacts were - it was an awful state of affairs, but at the moment Ichihime felt like Mikoro was more of a Head of House than she was. It only made her feel even more grossly inadequate. "Chichi-boke really didn't have any redeeming qualities, did he?" she muttered rhetorically.

"He had only one, as far as I know," Mikoro noted. "It was that he supposedly loved his father, his wife, and his daughter more than most people would ever know."

"Tch," she snorted. "Bullshit. My father didn't know shit about love."

In yet another moment of stupendously mind-muddling stupidity in his sorry and pathetic life, Mikoro unwittingly decided he had a death wish when he opened up his big fat mouth. "If I may be honest with you, Ichihime-sama: neither do you."

Ichihime grit her teeth, using every last shred of patience she had to restrain herself from punching him brass-knuckle style with Shiji's hilt. That's what her father would have done, and she was not going to perpetuate his mistakes, no matter how much it trampled on her pride. Instead, Ichihime bit her lip so hard that blood began to trickle out, but she was absolutely livid with Mikoro for having the gall to say something like that to her.

What upset her the most, though, was that she knew what he said was true. No, actually, it was worse than true. It crushed her soul because deep down, Ichihime was acutely aware that she knew less about love than her father ever did. Forced to acknowledge that sad reality, there was nothing more painful. Not even broken pride - because even if it's broken, having something is better than having nothing at all.

-:-

Ukitake stood there, at the entrance to the 13th division compound, trying to figure out what he should do.

Kotetsu-san's arm was hooked around his own, and her hair was swaying in the gently breeze. The moonlight was reflecting off her dress and creating a spectacular aura around her that made her look absolutely divine. She looked twice her age, if not more.

He had two choices - actually, no, he had three. Or technically four, now that he thought about it. The fourth option, saying good night and parting ways here, was out of the question. It was just rude; so that was why he didn't think of it at first. Although the other three options could have all been disastrous.

The third option, taking her back to the Ugendo estate, was likely no better than the first option - asking her stay in the captain's pavillion. The second option, returning Kotetsu-san to her private room in the barracks, was technically the most appropriate choice. As her captain, it would make total sense for him to escort his third seat back to her room.

On the other hand, he really didn't want to.

But what Ukitake wanted, he couldn't have anymore. What he really wanted, as sad as it sounded, was for her to sleep in the nurse's quarters, and him to sleep in the pavillion. She would stay with him and take care of him; just the way she did when he was sick. Not in an entirely platonic way - he wasn't interested in playing house - but not in an entirely romantic way, either. As incredibly selfish as it was, he wanted something in between; even if he couldn't really explain what that was.

Fortunately (or maybe _un_fortunately), he wasn't sick anymore; and because of that, things could never go back to the way they were before. Expecting her to play nurse for him for her entire life was just wrong. It wasn't fair to her. That was why he had to figure out how to reconcile his image of _Kiyone, Bickering Shinigami_ with the _Kiyone, Moonlit Siren_ in front of him. He could kiss the latter but didn't know if he could face the former afterwards.

On the other hand, Kiyone wasn't really that immature anymore. Since the Winter War, her spats with Kotsubaki fell by the wayside as their roles in his division had changed. Kotsubaki had become the real 3rd seat, and Kiyone had become Jushiro's personal attendant because of his drastically declining health. They were no longer vying for his attention, because the types of attention they wanted were different. Kotsubaki was a young man struggling to prove his worth - the previous 3rd Seat had been Shiba Miyako, and it would have been impossible for nearly anyone to live up to her legacy. Kiyone wanted her captain's attention for entirely personal reasons; she fancied him.

Taking care of him in the most intimate and private and embarrassing aspects of his illness had placed her in a position much more personal than she probably had ever expected, and the experience changed her. The selflessness, combined with some of the truly difficult things she had to stomach in order to take care of him, had matured her. Flashy dress or simple shihakusho, it made no difference - Kiyone wasn't really a bickering child anymore. She was young woman now, one who had served a very serious and mentally taxing role as caretaker that left no room for naivety. There had been a few times where both of them thought he had been on his deathbed; and the gravity associated with those incidents would make anyone grow up fast.

Still, it was hard for him to make sense out of it all. She was important to him, that was clear - but the practical ramifications of that were not clear at all. Jushiro wasn't really sure how he could figure it out. It was frustrating - he was so adept at helping others sort out their feelings, but it was bothersome that he struggled so much with his own.

"Jushiro-san, are you alright?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah, sorry. I'm fine."

"You stopped short all of a sudden."

Ukitake took a deep breath. There was only one way to solve this problem. He looked around to make sure that they were alone. He was going to talk it out with her, no matter how painful or awkward it was. "Kotetsu-san, we need to talk."

Kiyone didn't like where this was going, but she knew it was going to happen eventually. "What is it?"

He hesitated. "I just realized that I haven't told you how spectacular you look this evening."

The way he said it, it didn't come out as the greatest compliment. "Jushiro-san, is there a 'but' at the end of that sentence?" she asked casually, although failing to hide her disappointment.

Ukitake's face fell. He was screwing up already. "No, no, of course not. You look wonderful."

She looked away from him, hiding her face enough so that he couldn't read her.

"Kotetsu-san, this is awkward."

Kiyone glued her gaze down to her toes, although all she saw was the cleft of her breasts exposed to the warm night air. She felt stupid and angry with herself. To think that I could get away with a childish prank like this, dressing up like a Barbie doll posing for a boy's magazine. "I'm sorry, Ukitake Taicho."

_Ouch_**_,_** he winced inside. He was used to her calling him by his personal name. From her, he would have preferred her getting angry and slapping him in the face rather than have her call him by his title, cold and impersonal.

"Please don't be," he begged. "I had a really great time tonight."

"Me too," she said, her voice distant. He could see a tear come down her cheek.

_Oh no --- I just realized how that sounded! I am such an idiot! _"Kotetsu-san, I---"

"No, it's okay, Taicho. I'm... Excuse me, Taicho. Good night."

Before Ukitake could respond, she had turned a cold shoulder on him and flashed off in shunpo towards her room in the barracks.

_I can speak seventy languages, _Ukitake thought, _and not one of them has adequate enough swear words to help me express how downright awful I just handled that situation._

-:-

Rukia showered leisurely, having discarded her special undies into a hamper. She felt ridiculous in them, anyway.

Having reacquainted herself with her old friend the razor, she proceeded to wash her hair thoroughly and scrub away her makeup. Eventually, she finished, wrapped herself up in her luxurious cotton bathrobe, and bundled her hair in a towel-turban before brushing her teeth.

Ichigo was relieved to see her come out all covered up. He had seen her like this a billion times in his own house, so things still felt normal. On the other hand, he felt like an idiot. I mean, we're married now, right?

He had dreamed about this many, many times before. Now that he was here, though, he was feeling painfully shy; almost invasive. Sure, he loved her; but at the moment he felt like he had married her just so that stupid Four Houses politics wouldn't be able to keep them apart. Not that he regretted marrying her - far from it - but he realized that perhaps he wasn't as ready for this as he thought he was.

Rukia took the time while Ichigo was in the bathroom to remove her nailpolish and finish drying her hair. After a while, he came out in a bathrobe as well, and sat down on the bed next to her. Rukia could tell that he was really tense. She was, too.

"Um, Rukia?"

"Hm?"

"Uh, er - Idunno 'bout you, but I'm exhausted. Perhaps we could just... go to sleep?"

Rukia immediately reached over and gave him a tight squeeze. "Oh, Ichigo, god bless you," she joked, and relief flooded into both of them.

Laughing, they tucked themselves in under the covers, bathrobes and all, and happily snuggled. What followed was about six to seven minutes of some light kissing and harmless caressing. That, at least, was long overdue; and both of them were eager and content with those innocent touches.

Seconds after that, the happy virgin newlyweds were sound asleep.

* * *

_**Reviews, please! **In particular, curious to know what you thought about the scenes with Ichihime and Bya/Kuu. Next chapter: Komamura/Unohana, more __Kiyone/Jushiro, _more Rukia/Ichigo. Fun stuff!

* * *

~~Crossover Cup!~~

Today's special guest: _Clare,_ from Claymore!

_Clare: _Is there a reason I am here?

_Nathan: _Well, the theme here should be pretty obvious.

_Clare:_ You brought me all the way here to talk about my sword?

_Nathan: _No, no, no - 'love is complicated'. Raki, remember?

_Clare (not responding to Nathan at all): _I have to go kill Yoma now.

_Nathan (sighs, talks to himself): _I knew I should have brought Ophelia. She would have at least played to the crowd.

_Kon (tapping on Nathan's shoulder and whispering in his ear, points to Clare): _Hey, you think I could get a piece of that?

_Nathan: _I'm ending this Crossover Cup before it gets _really_ ugly. See you next time, folks!


	43. First Kiss, Reprise

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Bleach.

_**Transator's note: **Hari Kiri is another name for Seppuku (ritual suicide)._

_**Author's note:**_ _If you haven't read the first two tales in the trilogy ("Save This For Kuchiki" ,"Save Me, Kuchiki" - if you haven't by now, I really don't understand why), you will likely miss some references in this chapter._

* * *

Kiyone was lying on the bed in her room, crying into her pillow. She had kicked off her heels and stripped her gloves off in anger, but otherwise had yet to change. Her corset was really uncomfortable, but she was too depressed to move.

After several minutes of emotional venting, she rolled onto her back and managed to take out her earrings. Finally getting her sobbing under control, she went to her bathroom and unzipped her dress before washing off her makeup. Staring at the mirror, she cursed her own face, frustrated with her childlike features. Kiyone was so upset that she spit on the glass, just so that she wouldn't have to look at her reflection.

Undoing the corset was frustrating, but when she finally had it off, she realized how much her body ached. Matsumoto did quite a job, that was for sure. Kiyone was going to be feeling stiff for a week.

Pissed off at herself and the world, Kiyone took a scaldingly hot shower, partially to relax her muscles and partially just hoping that the hot water would burn away her rage. All I did was screw everything up, she tormented herself. I ruined everything. Too much, too fast, too soon.

She threw on a nightgown and settled into bed. Kiyone then remembered that she hadn't even brushed her teeth, so even more annoyed with herself, she got out of bed.

Kiyone was just about to get back into bed when she heard a knock on her door. Her stomach clenched. She was in no mood to talk to anyone. Debating it for a while, she decided to be vindictive and ignore it. The knocking continued for at least an hour, but she didn't care. She couldn't sleep, but she wanted to be alone.

-:-

Komamura Saijin walked as light-footed as possible, for fear of disturbing anyone's quiet evening with his thundering gait; but also because his pace was considerably larger than the 4th division captain who was holding his forearm.

"Thank you for walking me home, Komamura-kun," Unohana smiled warmly.

"My pleasure," he answered. "I hope that you had a nice time this evening."

"The wedding was lovely, thank you. I'm sure you were very happy for Kuchiki-san; I know you consider her to be a very valued disciple of yours."

Saijin smiled with a tiny laugh. "I believe 'disciple' is being generous, but yes, I took great enjoyment in bearing witness to such a happy celebration. But if one were to speak of disciples, I'm positive that you feel no differently; after all, your own student was one to carry great honor today."

Retsu smiled. She loved the way he talked; always so exceedingly formal and polite. It was like conversing with a poet lost in thought; it was very soothing. His voice was deep, calm and centered; Retsu savored its relaxing effect in her ears. "Yes, I was so proud for Ise-san. I have not seen her so happy with herself before."

"I'm sure it was most rewarding. From what I understand, she is not from noble stock, correct? She is the first Crowngifter from outside the noble families, if I am not mistaken. It is a great day for history, and I am sure you felt no small measure of personal accomplishment seeing your most accomplished pupil be the center of such a ground-breaking moment."

Retsu rubbed his forearm affectionately. "Which just goes to show you that even the humblest of us can achieve greatness," she said encouragingly, reminding herself of what her mother frequently told her back when she was still alive.

The gentle giant let out an amused chuckle at her keen insight into his persona. "You are too kind, Unohana-dono."

"Please, Komamura-kun, call me Retsu. No need to be so formal amongst friends," she said casually, reaching her fingers into his massive gloved hand.

"Saijin," he smiled politely, indicating that he, too, would prefer a personal name basis.

They continued walking for a while, making small talk. Komamura enjoyed hearing about Unohana's many years of exploits in the Gotei 13, considering that she was nearly four times as old as he was. Unohana was surprised to learn many unexpected things about him. Although Unohana was not a judgemental individual, she could not get over how astounded she was that Komamura was a vegetarian. She found it incredibly charming.

Eventually, they arrived at Unohana's home, which to Saijin's surprise was located in the Division 1 compound; but he did not wish to pry. "I had a most memorable evening, Retsu-dono."

"As have I, Saijin-kun. Would you like to come in for tea?"

Saijin's eyes widened and his face went red, although it could not be seen underneath his fur. "I, ah, do not wish to impose."

"Nonsense," she replied gently. "Come, don't be shy."

The suggestive tug on his arm was indeed an invitation. Saijin did not know that he was ready for this, but he unexpectedly felt it was not in his best interests to decline. "If it is not too much of a trouble, a cup of tea would be most enjoyable."

Retsu beamed at him. "Wonderful," she exclaimed, and led him inside to the small apartment where she had lived for centuries.

It was a modest but homey residence, with a distinctly pink flavor. Saijin noticed that there were only two small pictures on the mantle of her fireplace. One was a practically ancient picture of a woman he did not immediately recognize, but vaguely resembled his hostess. The other picture, however, was of General Yamamoto; although it also appeared to be quite old. He would have pondered it a bit more, but a sound distracted him after Unohana shut the door to her apartment.

Komamura Saijin's sensitive ears would never have missed the sound of a clicking lock behind him.

-:-

Dawn came, and Kiyone was worse for wear. She hadn't slept a wink, felt like crap, and wanted to just stay in bed and die; but she was hungry. The mess hall would start serving breakfast in just a few moments for those who were coming off of the night shift. Too agitated to change out of her nightgown - a thin, massively oversized puke-green cotton tee that was too comfortable to get rid of - she put on her fuzzy Chappy slippers and staggered over to the door, yawning. Maybe I'll be able to sleep after I eat, she hoped; thankful that she had put in for the day off.

When she opened the door, though, Ukitake Jushiro literally fell backwards into her room. Apparently, he must have been sleeping right outside with his back leaning against her door.

Ukitake was startled awake, and his eyes shot open to give him a very arousing view of his third-seat. Evidently, she didn't wear underwear while sleeping. He would say it left nothing to the imagination, but it was a complete lie. His imagination was a lot more creative than he would have expected.

He quickly sat up, praying to his ancestors that she didn't realize what he had just seen. "Uh, hi."

"Taicho? What are you doing here?" her voice was sleepy but otherwise emotionless.

"I wanted to talk to you."

She leaned against the open door for support and gestured for him to come in as she yawned.

"If now's not a good time, I-"

She shook her head, still yawning, covering her mouth with a free hand. Ukitake found it an unusual visual - he couldn't remember if he had ever seen her without gloves on.

"Kotetsu-san, you look tired."

Her only response was an indifferent shrug.

"I love you," he said. She didn't react, so he continued. "You know I do. I have for a long time."

She turned her back to him. "So what?" she said bitterly.

Ukitake's stomach turned in knots. Her retort hurt him badly, but he knew he deserved it. "I'm having a hard time with this."

Kiyone continued to look at the wall above her bed. Masticora was calling out to her from her sword rack, but she couldn't hear the words. Kiyone mentally chastised it to be quiet for the moment. Masticora was as impulsive as she was, but he hadn't gotten burned yesterday. Kiyone knew she was going to have let this play out on her own, even if it meant giving her captain the cold shoulder.

"You have every right to be angry with me. I've taken a lot and given little."

"No, I understand," she replied, completely passive-aggressive. "I'm just your nurse. You don't need me anymore. I get a new assignment now. I'm sure the Brazillian crew will be happy to have me back. Just let me know when I'm supposed to ship out, and I'll grab my stuff. Masticora would love to maim some hollow for a change, I'm sure," she ground out, acrimony saturated over every syllable.

"You're not my nurse," Ukitake sighed. "You're my third seat, and you are someone who is very important to me."

Her anger was shaking off her sleepiness, and she was more than frustrated. "_Really_?" She turned around to face him again, her caustic scowl blazing. "Is _that_ what I am? You already _have_ a third seat - Kotsubaki can handle it," her voice escalating until she was shouting, "I'm just the little girl who takes care of you, _remember_?"

Ukitake took a step back out of instinct. "Kiyone-chan -"

" _'Kiyone-chan'_," she mocked, _"just like a little girl!"_ and then she ran into her bathroom and slammed the door behind her.

Ukitake considered taking her zanpakutou off its rack and using it to commit hari kiri right then and there. He knew this was going to be unpleasant, but he didn't imagine it being this bad. Jushiro felt awful.

"Kotetsu-san, I'm sorry. Please come out. I just want to have a chance to explain myself. Please? I don't want you to be upset. I'm really sorry." Jushiro was sincerely trying to be patient - he had really screwed up and deserved everything that was coming to him - but he hadn't slept well, and he was a bit frazzled. If she didn't give him an opportunity to work through this, he was really not sure how much longer he was going to be coherent enough to pacify her.

_"Go away!"_

"Please, I know you're upset. Let's talk about it."_  
_

_"Go away!"_ she yelled through the door, and then went off on another passive-aggresive tirade. "Oh, I'm sorry, I forgot. You need a _nurse._ Go ask Isane-neechan, she's even a professional. She's a vice captain and everything! Hell, she even has _tits_ - like a _real_ woman! I bet you she'd make a fine nurse! She's better at everything than I am, anyway!"

Oh no, Jushiro thought. That's it, I'm in for a mouthful. All the pent-up envy, the feelings of inadequacy - she's not going to calm down unless she dredges up every last bit of it. "Come out, please? I'm really sorry you're so upset. I want to talk with you - please?"

_"GO AWAY!"_ she screamed again. "You don't need me, I'm just a _little girl._ It's not like I'm big enough to fight. Doesn't matter that I've got bankai, because _little girls_ aren't supposed to play with _those_ kinds of things. I obviously wasn't even big enough to be your third seat all by myself, because you decided to make another one! No,_ little girls_ have to stay _home,_ tucked in _bed,_ safe and sound, _while their captains get the shit beaten out of them by Aizen's **little boys!"**_

Jushiro was deeply saddened. Although he wasn't entirely to blame here - he didn't know she had bankai by then, and he would have taken her to fight anyway if not for Isane's request to keep her home - but now was not the time to nitpick. Ukitake had been injured by the childlike Wonderweiss Margera when his illness caught up with him on the battlefield, and his tuberculosis had been badly exacerbated because of that battle. Kiyone had nursed him back to health during the four months that followed, but another three months later, he relapsed; and it had been very, very bad then. Kiyone tormented herself that she hadn't been able to help him during that fight. Still, promoting Sentaro to be her co-seat had been a bonehead move; something he already knew for a long time. "Kotet--"

**_"GO AWAY!" _**she shouted, and he could hear the sound of a mirror smashing into a thousand pieces. _"WHAT COULD YOU POSSIBLY NEED A LITTLE GIRL FOR! **YOU COULD NEVER LOVE A LITTLE GIRL LIKE ME!**"_

That comment really hurt, and he got angry, but he bit his tongue. Getting defensive and losing his temper would only make the situation worse, and he refused to let her slip through his fingers. Taking a moment to try and get his head on straight, he took a deep breath before trying again. "Please don't say that, I--"

_"Why are you still here!"_ she shouted, pounding on the door as she finally exhausted her anger into sad, heaving sobs and whispers. "Why don't you just leave?"

Jushiro spoke swiftly - he didn't want to bring it up, but it was his last resort. "Because that's not what I do," he said softly but firmly. "I sat by you for weeks after every single bone in your body was pulverized to dust. Yamamoto Soutaicho was furious with me for not even coming to the captain's meetings, but I didn't care. All I wanted was for you to wake up - I hoped, begged, _prayed_ that you would wake up. That you would wake up and be okay. And I was angry with you, too - incredibly angry. You had really screwed up and embarrassed me and our squad terribly. But I stayed, and waited - waited for the chance to talk to you again, because that was the _most important thing in the world_ to me. Because I really do love you - and when _you_ hurt, _I_ hurt. So please - _please _- please come out, and let's talk, okay?"

To his relief, she finally opened the door, brushing past him with a wad of tissue paper in hand. In tears, she plopped down on her bed, drained and exhausted. "Go ahead," she muttered, as though she could hardly care less about what he had to say.

He took a deep breath, sitting down in a small wooden chair opposite the bed. "I don't think you're a 'little girl', Kiyone-san," he began, catching himself last minute and swapping -san in. "It was pretty clear to me last night that you are most definitely a woman. A remarkably attractive one, in fact."

The smallest of up-turns appeared on the left corner of her mouth, but that was it. Still, it was a positive reaction; he was relieved she was at least listening to him. "I... It has been a very long time since I was last healthy. In some ways, I got so used to being sick that it became a part of who I am. Getting used to being healthy is not something I expected to... present me with so many challenges."

Her grin disappeared, and Ukitake realized he was beating around the bush. "Kotetsu-san, you took care of me for so long. I don't miss being ill, but I miss having you with me all the time. Although I can feed myself, bathe myself, sleep without constantly rotating cold compresses - it's lonely without you."

Kiyone sniffled and began to cry again, but she otherwise chose not to say anything. Her stare was still pinned to the floor.

"I didn't ask you to come to the wedding with me because I couldn't find a date, Kotetsu-san. I asked you to come because I wanted your company again. I miss how you always used to be close by. I truly wanted you with me, I just didn't expect you to be so... inviting."

That piqued her attention. She cocked an eyebrow at him. "And just exactly how am I supposed to interpret that, Jushiro-san?"

Oh, good. She was calling him by his personal name again. That was a good sign, even though she did look like she wanted to clean his clock. "Well, uh, that's why this is so awkward, you see, eh---"

Ukitake received the harshest glare he had ever gotten from anybody. It was so raw he almost choked on his own tongue. _"Can't you just talk to me like a normal human being?"_ she yelled at him.

The white-haired captain sighed. It was beneath his dignity to stoop to crass language, but he wanted his point to come across clearly. _This is going to be so embarassing. _"I haven't been with a woman in ages, Kotetsu-san. Not so much as a kiss. I've been too sick to have any interest. Now that I'm healthy, it's like I'm a horny teenager all over again."

Kiyone couldn't help but force back a sardonic laugh at this last comment, but she still looked like she wanted to throttle him.

Nonetheless, Ukitake was relieved to hear her laughter again. "I understand why you wanted to look good, but I guess I expected you to wear something a bit more tame."

"Well, I'm sorry that you didn't like my attire," she flared, clearly insulted.

"No!" he interjected quickly, worried that she was going to knock his block off. "Exactly the opposite - I liked it a bit _too_ much," he confessed. He choked a bit on his words. "You looked absolutely stunning, Kotetsu-san. Really; absolutely gorgeous and very, very beautiful. I couldn't take my eyes off of you all night. But I felt like a dirty old man ogling you so much. I mean, it was awkward. I'm trying to respect you, not objectify you. And I can promise you, objectifying you tonight would have been easy. Five hundred other men that evening were doing it, too."

Kiyone stopped crying and blew her nose. She wiped the tears off her face with her sleeve; it was childish, but she was too exhausted and spent to care. He was running around in circles, and while Kiyone was sure she would have been able to follow if she was more awake, she just wanted him to be clear about it so she could stop driving herself crazy over it.

Respecting her, objectifying her - it was too esoteric for her right now. Either he thought Kiyone had romantic potential, or he didn't. If he did, then she didn't care if he ogled her - that was kind of the point of a corset. If he didn't think she had romantic potential, than no amount of respect was going to change the fact that she had flaunted herself like a hussy for nothing. She just wanted him to get to the point.

"I'm tired, Jushiro-san." Her voice cracked as she continued. "I've made enough of a fool of myself. I just can't do this anymore," she croaked out, her voice layered with distress and self-loathing. Kiyone could only eek out a barely audible whisper. "If you all you can do is love me like a daughter, than do what all fathers do - let me go."

Ukitake visibly winced; her remarks literally crushed him. _What a terrible job I'm doing trying to explain myself._

Seeing no other options, Ukitake Jushiro took Kotetsu Kiyone's face in his hands and kissed her right on the mouth.

It started pretty mild as far as kisses go, but he didn't pull away so things began to escalate fairly quickly. Kiyone wasn't entirely sure what he was doing, but she wasn't about to miss the message. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she pulled him down on top of her, feeling his entire weight press against her frame. She curled her left leg around him and clamped him down tight, instigated by the stirring of his body; and _damn _did it feel exciting. Her adrenaline was pumping now, and Kiyone was hungry - but now, not for food.

His hands began to trace up her arms, towards her shoulders, _almost..._ and then he separated from her, panting heavily.

Kiyone was pissed as hell. She was too tired and confused to be rational anymore, but hormones were whizzing by in her head fast enough to keep her attention centered on him. "What's wrong now?"

"We're both half-asleep, and it's probably a good idea to wait until we both really know what we're doing."

Kiyone exploded at him, pounding her fists on his chest with the strength of an atomic sledgehammer. _"Are you jerking me along here!"_

He kissed her again, but this time held her back before it got out of hand. "_Please_ listen to me. You asked me, rightfully so, to make a decision. I love you, and I have loved you for a long time. You know that. It may be hard for you to understand how I feel, because it's hard for even _me_ to understand how I feel. But you're not my daughter, and you're not my nurse, and you're not just my third seat. You've become something much more than that to me, and although I can't really describe it, I do love you; very, very much. In fact, I love you too much to have it all end in a one-night stand where we wake up more awkward than when we started. _Please,_ give us some time. It's all I'm asking in return. I want this as much as you do, honestly. I really, really do; no matter how impossible that may sound."

It was the truth. Ukitake Jushiro never would have expected to ever fall for Kotetsu Kiyone. No one would have. It was as improbable as could be. Not one person ever could have predicted such a thing happening. It might as well have been impossble. Nearly eighty years ago, when the young girl came to his division, he never would have even thought about it as a possibility. He expected her to be like all of the other numerous women who served under him in a strictly professional capacity. Shunsui was the one who tended to mix personal and professional, not Jushiro.

But Fate often delivered the unexpected, and it did so in even more unexpected ways. He was a healthy man now, and he had been very lonely since his tuberculosis was gone. Even when she went ludicrously overboard and bickered with her co-seat over silly, inconsequential and unimportant things, Kiyone had always been close by; and he didn't want her anywhere else. She had dedicated her life to him, and Jushiro didn't take that for granted. Jushiro really did want to share a life with her - while she obviously tended to overdo it at times, Jushiro couldn't think of another woman being as selfless as she was. To the outsider, it may have been an odd pairing - but Jushiro always believed that, as hackneyed as it sounds, love overcomes all boundaries. He was not one to overlook what gifts he already had, and Kotetsu Kiyone was most definitely a gift; even if she had come to him in the most unexpected of ways.

Kiyone kissed Jushiro's forehead. He was asking something fair, and she knew she owed him that. Still, she was hesitant to believe him. Even if he was sincere, she questioned his ability to keep that perspective. "How do I know you're not just appeasing me? Or appeasing yourself?" she whispered painfully. "It's easy for you to say that now. But what are you going to say to me tomorrow, when I'm back in uniform and looking like the kid you've known for eighty years; the youngest seated officer in your division? No makeup, no fancy dress, no dancing, no walks in the moonlight - can you honestly tell me you're going to look at me the same way you did yesterday?"

Jushiro sat up, pulling her into him and wrapping his arms around her. "I'm not going to lie to you. It's going to be an adjustment. But you're not a kid."

Kiyone was not at all reassured, but she stayed in his embrace. The age difference was not something he could brush off so easily. The Kotetsu sisters had appeared in the Rukongai only eighty years ago. Isane had been 26 when they passed on, so she had always been an adult in Soul society; but Kiyone had been only 12 when her previous life had ended. Everybody's pace of aging in Soul Society varies a bit, but in real-world terms, Kiyone was probably around 19, _maybe _20. She didn't know precisely how old he was - these things were always hard to tell - but there was no doubt that he was at least twice as old as she was in real-world years. "_C'mon_, Jushiro-san," she remarked bitterly. "There's gotta be at least four centuries between us. Don't tell me I'm not a kid when I know you're thinking it."

To her complete surprise, he sneakily grabbed her breast through her t-shirt and gave it a firm squeeze. "Nope, definitely not what I'm thinking," he said lightheartedly. It wasn't like him to communicate so crassly, but he knew this would be the best way to convince her. Besides, he now knew what she really looked like under that unbelievable concealing uniform; and he had no reason to deny that he could be physically attracted to her.

She let him linger for a moment, just to doublecheck his sincerity, but swatted his hand away with a laugh as his caress began to become tantalizingly indecent. "Men," she muttered teasingly, not-so-secretly pleased. "Always trying to cop a feel."

He leaned over and gave her a surprisingly passionate kiss. It was so intense that it made Kiyone's head spin and her pelvis throb, which was his intention. "Sorry," he said when he came up for air, although he clearly wasn't really sorry at all. Jushiro was thinking about the spectacular view he managed to get earlier when he fell to the floor, and he began to realize if he wasn't careful he was going to let the wrong head prevail.

Still, he desperately did not want to screw this up. He had botched up enough, and he wanted to be absolutely sure that Kiyone understood he wasn't going to waste his chance. He had tortured her with enough confusion already. Jushiro did not want Kiyone to have even one small ounce of doubt that he really was going to commit himself to a serious, long-term romantic relationship with her.

He would definitely have to adjust, and it was not going to be a simple switch for him - he was sure that when he saw her the next day in uniform, it was going to throw him for a loop. The woman who had now wormed her way into his lap, though, convinced him he could do it. Ukitake Jushiro didn't think of her as 3rd Seat Kotetsu at the moment. She was now his tender, sensual, devoted and caring Kiyone; who felt warm in his arms and an important piece of his life. Unexpected or not, she felt right. Romantic, platonic, whatever - _she felt right._ That was by far the only thing that mattered.

"No more honorifics, Jushiro. Just 'Kiyone' from now on, okay?" she asked gently, trying to feel at ease with him again. She wrapped her arms around him in a loving hug, allowing herself to feel like maybe, just maybe, her captain might be able to fall in love with her.

Hearing his name in the familiar from her touched him for some reason, and Ukitake smiled. He might just be able to sort this mess out after all.

The two stayed in that tight hug for a long time. More than anything that happened until that point, that hug was a key turning point in their relationship. It was significant because for the first time, they engaged each other as true equals. Not as captain/subordinate, not as nurse/patient, but as true equals - one man, one woman, one embrace. They had not been able to do this until now, even though they had asked this of each other in veiled messages many times before. Only now, backed by genuinely warm and loving physical affection, did they mutually feel like partners in the relationship - and that made the difference. That was the gap that had been missing all along.

"C'mon, Kiyone, let's get some breakfast." Ukitake hoisted her up, pajamas and all, and carried her down to the mess hall. She fell asleep in his arms, seemingly content. He thought about how so many nights before, the roles had been reversed; and how she had watched him sleeping, doting over him and worrying even more than he did.

Ukitake Jushiro didn't care if the whole world saw him right now - it was about time he was honest with them. It was only fair now that he had finally decided to be honest with himself.

-:-

Rukia woke up the next morning feeling refreshed. Ichigo was pressed against her, but she slid out from under him carefully so as not to wake him. She used the bathroom, washed her face and brushed her teeth, suprised but not startled to see Ichigo waiting for his turn.

He came out a moment later, and lay back down on the bed lazily, still wrapped up in his bathrobe. Rukia happily climbed on top of him to snuggle. It was warm in the room, so they didn't bother with blankets.

"I love you, Midget."

"I love you, too, Strawberry," she laughed back, pecking him with a kiss. Ichigo grabbed the back of her head and held it in place, lengthening the gesture until it became much more than the simple peck that they had started with.

One thing led to another, and before long, the two of them were intertwined. It wasn't particularly passionate, nor was it wild, or erotic, nor steamy. It was, as these things go, about as bland as possible. Still, the two of them never experienced anything so inspiring. For what was only a brief moment - because as mentioned before, it was pretty basic compared to what one might expect from newlyweds - the two shared the greatest intimacy that man and woman could ever share; and it was so imbued with deep, heartfelt emotion that neither of them noticed how straightforward it had been. It was as if they communicated at a level that could not be expressed with mere words, kisses or embraces. It was that simplicity - the ability to say _'I love you'_ in a way that completely embodied the true, unfettered meaning of the words - that made it the most mind-shattering event they had ever experienced until that point of their lives.

In other words, they didn't have sex. They made love. And there was nothing sweeter.

* * *

_Next chapter: The end of Act IV - Ichihime, Nanao/Kyoraku, and the Kurosaki family reunion. **Reviews, please! Y'all been skimping lately! **I wanna hear what you thought about the Ukitake/Kiyone scene. And I bet by now you've learned a bit more about Unohana, eh? **C'mon, reviews, folks!**_

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~~Crossover Cup!~~

Today's special guest: _Miyagusuku Kai,_ from Blood+!

_Kai:_ Finally, I made it!

_Nathan (laughs):_ I know you've been waiting a while to come on the program. Did you like being 'married' to Miyako for a while?

_Kai (chuckling):_ You really did squeeze in every allusion you could, didn't you?

_Nathan:_ Tell me you loved it when I wrote Nanao's zanpakutou was a gluttonous crybaby.

_Kai:_ That was awesome! I was laughing so freaking hard I thought I would pop.

_Nathan:_ What do you think of Ukiyone?

_Kai:_ Hey man, whatever works.

_Nathan:_ I suppose you're pretty open-minded, considering that you fell in love with your sister. Well, adopted one, anyway.

_Kai:_ Yeah, don't remind me. I'm almost happy Haji got her in the end; I think it would have been weird for the twins, you know?

_Nathan:_ True, their family situation is complicated enough as it is. Hey, actually - what are their names?

_Kai:_ You mean they have _names?_

_Nathan:_ Uh... okay, then......


	44. Tantos, Reprise

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Bleach.

* * *

Kyoraku lazily walked through his office doors the next morning, and being his usually perceptive self, noticed that the doorway had been treated to a kido silence barrier. As he expected, his vice captain was sitting at her desk. It was not uncommon for Nanao to set up a silence barrier for the office, especially when there were high-secrecy assignments or personnel considerations to be discussed. He didn't know of anything that pressing at the moment, but he played it cool.

"Good morning, Taicho," Nanao said cheerily to him. It was unusually sweet of her, considering it was 10:15 in the morning. Normally, she would chastise him for coming in so late.

"Good morning, Nanao-chan," he replied happily, settling down at his desk. To his surprise, it was devoid of forms to be signed.

"Can I get you some tea, Taicho?"

Shunsui wondered what had Nanao in such a good mood. The he remembered she had made a move on someone yesterday - something she hadn't ever done before. Not that Hisagi Shuhei wasn't a nice guy, but his Nanao-chan was still his Nanao-chan. Kyoraku Shunsui was not willing to give up hope that he could still get her to fall for him, however unlikely. Kyoraku wasn't thrilled with the prospect of competition, and he didn't want to think about the possibility that Hisagi was the cause of her unusually pleasant demeanor this morning. Nonetheless, he didn't want to let his disappointment show, so he kept his cheery disposition about him and beamed back a smile at his fukutaicho. "Sure! My, you're in a good mood today."

Nanao got up to make him a large mug of tea, pouring the water from the kettle over some tea leaves, but gave him no response other than a slightly exagerated smile. Shunsui wasn't sure what that expression meant exactly, but returned his usual lazy grin.

She passed him the tea, but when Shunsui reached for it, her face went bitter as she spilled the steaming mug directly into his lap. _"Oops."_

Kyoraku swore as he hopped to his feet, but Nanao pushed him back down into his seat with a hard shove in the chest and immediately rammed her tanto into the seat between his legs, blade side pointed in a direction that would make sure he wouldn't budge. Shunsui was lucky he didn't end up more circumcised than he already was. Before he could say anything, his vice captain was screaming in his face like a wrecking ball against his eyebrow.

_"WHO ELSE DID YOU TELL?"_

"Nanao-chan, what are you talking about?"

"God_damn_it, Taicho, don't you _dare_ make me say it out loud," she threatened.

"Oh, _that_." No wonder she was so pissed, he thought. "C'mon, Nanao-chan, I'm not the kind to kiss and tell." I place great value on having my parts remain attached to my body, thank you very much.

"You fucking _liar,_" she spat at him, slapping him across the face with enough strength to leave a mark that would last at least a week.

Shunsui took it like a man. He had no idea what was going on, but he knew Nanao better than anybody. Revenge first, recriminations later. Denying her revenge would just prolong the pain. "What's going on! What happened!"

Nanao slapped him again even harder, backhanding him on the other side of his face. "Answer the fucking _question, _Taicho!"

Kyoraku Shunsui had been slapped plenty of times before, but that last one hurt more than all of the others combined. "I didn't tell a soul, I swear! A couple of days after that night, Unohana Taicho came to me. She thought you were complete mess - I tried to get her to back off, but when her brightest and most talented student can't even pull off a level 20 bakudo spell, something must be wrong. Unohana-san practically threatened to send Yama-jii at me unless I explained what was going on. Instead, I filed a CPTR, and she let it be."

Nanao fell into her chair, sobbing, as the realization came to her.

"What?"

"You filed a _CPTR_?"

CPTR was the acronym for a Confidential Psychologial Trauma Report. Captains occasionally filed them when shinigami came back from the field with severe post-traumatic stress disorder. In the event a soldier had a nervous breakdown within one year of the time of filing, the CPTR protected the soldier from severe reprimand. CPT Reports came with the highest degree of confidentiality - captains were allowed to know about their presence in a personnel file, but were not allowed to read the reports themselves. CPTRs were not a secret phenomena; their use was widely known. For example, Nanao was sure that Rukia's file had one from when Shiba Kaien had died on her sword; and she was positive Isane had a few after witnessing some particularly gruesome injuries over in the 4th division. Nanao also suspected that Hinamori Momo had one, which is probably why they let her stay on as 5th division vice captain.

"Of course. I knew what happened had been hard for you. Unohana-san was right, you really were a mess. I didn't want you to forget to file some stupid squad rotation report and get into trouble over it. I only did it with your best interests in mind, I swear. But I didn't dare tell anyone what actually happened, I promise! I would _never_ do such a thing, Nanao-chan. I may be a lazy bum sometimes and leave you with some overdue paperwork, but I would _never_ kiss and tell. I could never do that to you - _especially_ not you."

Nanao shook her head, her depression making way for smoldering, fuming, then blazing anger. "You mean it says in my personnel file that I _slept _with my_ captain?_ Do you have _any_ idea how _damaging_ that is to my _career!_"

"It's confidential! Not even the other captains can see it, Nanao-chan!"

_"You. FUCKING. **MORON!**"_ she screamed, punching him in the face with a right hook that could have toppled the Eiffel Tower - and Nanao normally couldn't punch worth shit.

Kyoraku used his tongue to check his molars and make sure they were all still there before speaking. "Nanao-chan, really, that former 12th division captain had much worse in his file, and it never held his career back even one bit."

Nanao could not believe his idiocy. She grabbed him by the collar and starting shaking him like she wanted his head to pop off. _"NOT EVERYONE IS 'JUST A CAPTAIN', YOU STUPID TWIT! THAT GODDAMN NEPHEW OF YOURS WAS A FUCKING MAJOR GENERAL AND HAD CLEARANCE TO LOOK AT MY CPTR, YOU DUMBASS!"_

Shunsui was shocked and horrified. Few things ever made him angry, but at that moment he wanted to break every bone in Tanabi's body - _twice._ "You mean he read your file and then said something to you!" So _that's_ how this came about. No wonder she's so furious. "I'll kill him if he did."

Nanao pulled her zanpakutou out from the seat, and in a dramatic flick of her hand, unfurled it into her fan. Shunsui would have noted that it was the first time he had seen her wordlessly go into shikai, but he noticed that instead of its normal pink color, it was a deep, bright, burning crimson.

Kyoraku was not the kind to swear, but he couldn't help himself. If it was that saturated, one swish of her fan could stop his heart instantly. Even if it didn't, the echo would crash back a million times and kill him in an even more excruciating way. "Nanao-chan --- did you......?"

"You bet your ass I did," she answered angrily, folding her fan and tucking it into her sleeve. "That bastard tried to assassinate Rukia yesterday."

"Not that I don't believe you," Shunsui qualified clearly, knowing his nephew all too well, "but that's a pretty serious claim. Do you have any proof? I don't know of anything that happened out of the ordinary yesterday."

"Oh, I've got witnesses," she spat. "And you should be able to have the Onmitsukido run a reiatsu scan in Kodachi Hall today to find the physical evidence; but I want the best goddamn cover-up in all of fucking history. I didn't want to ruin the wedding, and I sure as hell don't want Rukia-san worrying about her marriage mired in scandal. If it ever gets out, I _swear_ a thousands oaths that I'll send the shit-faced blabbermouth to Hell."

Kyoraku didn't doubt for one second that she meant business. "I'll work with Soifon Taicho to make sure it stays under wraps."

"Not even Central 46---"

"---not even Central 46, I promise, Nanao-chan. Super hush-hush. You have my word, and you know Soifon would never even think of saying anything. Now what happened!"

Nanao sneered angrily. "Before we get to that, there's something else I want to talk to you about first."

Shunsui immediately realized that if Tanabi had read Nanao's personnel profile and revealed its contents to her, then he knew _exactly_ what was coming next. When Nanao took her dagger and sliced off the armband on her lieutenant's badge, slamming it on the table, his worst suspicions were confirmed.

"Explain to me why you gave me _that_," she challenged.

Shunsui sighed. This was going to be a long, long day.

-:-

Ichihime stood in silence, staring at the sword in front of her.

She was out in the family memorial garden, next to but not in front of her mother's grave. Claymore had been embedded in the earth, standing up as a symbolic tombstone. It would be the only testament Ichihime would leave to her father.

It hurt. She wished it didn't, but it hurt. She didn't like her father, but maybe she did love him. He had tried. Even though he sucked at it, he tried.

Ichihime thought about the years before the broken engagement - the years when she didn't quite hate him so much. Chichi had always been stern with her, and was rarely loving or affectionate. He wasn't really a nice man back then, either. However, he did try to get the best for her. She had good teachers and tutors as a child, and she was given nice clothing and whatever she wanted; even though she came to hate being spoiled. Like himself and his father, Chichi had wanted her to go into the Kido Corps, but when she indicated that she wanted to go into the Gotei 13, he agreed to her decision, at least proud that she had chosen her own path. It was one of his more selfless moments, she remembered.

She looked at the picture she had brought. It was taken about a hundred and twenty years or so, still a few years before Ichihime was born but already more than a decade and a half after her parents had married. It was of the two of them at some Session for Aristocracy or another, and they looked happy together. Although her mother, Yohana, looked very sickly - her palor a symptom of her syndrome - she was still very beautiful, especially with a warm smile that seemed too genuine to be fake.

Haha-ue did love him, Ichihime admitted to herself. I don't know why, but she did. There's no one among the staff who denies it. Every single one of them who knew her all said that she cared about him very much, and that she was very close with him. Even Yoruichi-obasama said that Haha-ue cherished him. It's hard to believe, but you can't fool so many people so easily.

Ichihime accepted that Haha-ue's death probably destroyed her father. Not that she believed he was a good man before then: Miko-obasama disliked him, and she never disliked anybody. Hell, she had the patience of a saint; if she didn't like him, that was quite a statement in and of itself. So Chichi had to have been at least a little rotten even long before they were maried - _but maybe Haha-ue changed him. Maybe she brought out something good in him._ Ichihime didn't know if it was true, but she wanted to believe it.

She wanted to believe that maybe there was _something,_ some tiny piece of redeeming good that her father had ever achieved. Ichihime did not want to die with the same black, consuming, angry hatred that Chichi had. It had destined her father to death, and even though she didn't know how it happened, she knew she would meet the same fate unless she let go.

Ichihime _had_ to let go of her hatred for her father. She didn't want to love him, but she had to find a way not to hate him.

So she stood quietly, trying to think of whatever justifications she could. The breeze blew her lavender hair into her eyes, and Ichihime decided she was going to keep that color for a while. Not just in honor of her mother, but maybe in honor of her father, too. Yes, in honor of the one time in his life that he may have been something other than a douchebag.

Ichihime put her hand on Shiji's hilt. Say something, Shiji. You've been too quiet.

_Death be not proud, Hime-sama._

What the fuck is that supposed to mean?

_It means I have no idea what to say and I'm spouting nonsense to appease you. You asked me to say something, didn't you? Now really, enough with the dirty mouth. Kuchiki-senpai is right, you really should wash that thing out with soap._

Ichihime rolled her eyes. She shouldn't have been surprised. Shiji was just as much of a sarcastic smartass as she was. I meant for you to say something helpful, Shiji.

_Your father was a scumbag, but he did love you. It's okay to love him for that._

You really believe that?

_I believe what you believe, Hime-sama._

Ichihime frowned. Thank you, Oh Great Sage of the Era, Professor Shiji the Wise, for your fortune cookie sentiments. Remind me to leave you home next time.

_Hey, I mean it. Yesterday, you were looking at the bride and crying inside, feeling unloved and unwanted. Do you want to feel that way your entire life? Let go, already. Love doesn't have to be rational. You don't have to justify it. You don't have to prove to yourself that it's okay to love your father. You can love him simply because he was your father, and that's enough. You don't have to feel guilty about it, or hate yourself for it. Just let go._

Ichihime looked at Claymore, the only remnant she had of the man everyone else knew as Banzo Tanabi. Taking a deep breath, she knew she had to, but she felt like he didn't deserve it.

Shiji interrupted her brooding. _Hime-sama, love your father for at least this: he taught you an invaluable lesson. No one else could have taught you that anger and bitterness will become a self-fulfilling prophecy. Love him because he paid the price so that you wouldn't have to._

Ichihime nodded. However unintended it was, that was indeed her father's sacrifice - and she could love him for that. "_Goodbye,_ Chichi-ue. I will redeem the family name - for Haha-ue's sake. I know you would have wanted that."

-:-

An hour later, Kyoraku Shunsui's face was bruised all over. He could fix it with kido, but he knew better than to do that in front of Nanao. It would only make her more angry, and she would beat him up with worse than her fists; so he sat quietly as he waited for Nanao to break the silence first. In the meanwhile, his face stung like it had been attacked by a swarm of angry hornets.

She was sitting in the chair at her desk, depressed. Nanao was honestly mad that she lost her temper with him so much. As angry as she was, all Kyoraku had done was look out for her. He had always been overprotective; and as sad as it sounded, Nanao knew that it was the only way that Kyoraku Shunsui knew how to be a parent. He didn't do it because he was a stupid ass, he just didn't know the right way to deal with her some of the time. Most of the time, actually.

Two months ago, Nanao never would have forgiven him. She would have resigned from the 8th, requested a transfer, and completely left him to rot under an avalanche of paperwork. However, she had grown wiser since her friendship with Rukia had bloomed. Nanao only had to think of all the things that Byakuya had done to Rukia, all of which were much, much worse than whatever Kyoraku ever did to her. Despite all the horrible things Byakuya did, Rukia had come to forgive him and love him dearly. All Shunsui ever did to Nanao was love her - and even if he did it in a fashion that was the complete opposite of what she needed, it would have been wrong for her not to acknowledge that.

This realization led Nanao to finally understand why her connection with Rukia had formed so deeply and so quickly: Nanao desperately, desperately admired her. It was a level of admiration that was so psychologically necessary that Nanao could never have lived without it. Nanao's vengeful, often spiteful personality made her very unforgiving - a personality trait forged over ten thousand years of being forced to deal with the unforgivable. But Nanao wanted to move on - Nanao wanted her humanity, and she clung to it. Forgiveness was part of it - a burning, longing need to end up being someone better than who she was now; to be a person. Not just any person, but a _good_ person.

Nanao had always feared that she danced with evil: a tendency to be unemotional, a sexually indulgent tilt, a willingness to use lethal force without blinking, a dominating ambition for power and authority - all personality traits that could be used for constructive purposes but were dangerous if left unchecked. Nanao didn't want to be left unchecked - it was why she gravitated to people like Isane and Rukia and idolized Shiba Miyako; all people who had good souls. They were people who never flirted with the enticing offers that the path of darkness could provide; souls who never needed to second-guess their motivations. Nanao had no desire to be an angel - it was probably boring - but she wanted to be proud of herself; to do the right thing. It may have been against her nature, but she knew that she could change if she really wanted to, at least enough so that she would never worry about walking down the wrong path. No matter how thin the line she walked along, she wanted to be a good enough person that she never even thought about crossing it.

Of all the things in the world that Rukia ever could have done for Nanao, teaching her forgiveness was the most rewarding gift she ever could have asked for. If she had to choose between learning bankai and learning forgiveness, she would have chosen the latter, no matter how hard a decision it would have been for her. Nanao was incredibly fortunate to have ended up learning both.

Rukia taught her, above all, that no matter how much they can (and _will!_) screw up, family is still more important than anything else in the world. To Nanao, Rukia was like family; and if Rukia felt like family, then Nanao was forced to accept that Shunsui was, too. Nanao couldn't stay angry at him. Part of her wanted to --- part of her wanted to be so hopping mad at him that she could look up the word in a dictionary and see her picture. Yet, the better part of her let it go - and that was the part she wanted to follow. Kyoraku Shunsui may have been a thousand things to Nanao, but above all, he was the only person she could have ever called a parent; at least in this lifetime.

Saya interrupted her. _Even Rukia-san never had a father. You should consider yourself lucky._

All Nanao could do was nod.

Eventually, she found the courage to speak. "Papa," she said quietly.

Shunsui winced inside. "I'm sorry," he apologized for the hundredth time, seizing the opportunity to plead now that she had broken the silence. "I didn't want---"

_"Ssshh,"_ she hushed, and got up to heal the bruises on his face with a medical spell. After a few moments of tender quiet as the kido did its work, she surveyed his face and sat down next to him slowly. Her body language wasn't cold or standoffish but still indicated that she was distant and off in some far away place.

"Uh, Nanao-cha-"

_"I forgive you,"_ she interrupted again.

Shunsui paused for a moment, a bit surprised that she would acquiesce so easily, and then let out a sigh of relief. He then hesitated for moment. "You've, uh, never called me that before."

Nanao gave him a fake sneer with a touch of affectionate sarcasm. "Get used to it, _Papa._"

"Ouch," he teased back, but then his serious demeanor returned; and he sighed. "I suppose it's been a long time coming."

Nanao could have been vindictive - it would have been so easy for her to twist the knife in his side and hurt him. She wanted to, she really, really wanted to - but she rose above it and decided he deserved her honest truth, even if it crushed her to say it out loud to his face. "I _do_ love you," she said quietly.

He exhaled in resignation. Although he had long suspected their relationship wouldn't tilt in the direction he wanted it to, this was the death knell. "I know, Nanao-chan."

"You... don't seem very happy with that," she said softly, sounding disappointed and deeply hurt. Kyoraku noted it was one of the extremely rare times she didn't hide her vulnerabilities.

Kyoraku sighed, sad to see her in so much pain for no reason. "The truth is, Nanao-chan, is that I care about you a great deal; and I really do want to be an important part of your life. I would rather be your father than just your captain."

Nanao was quiet for a moment. "Do you really mean that?"

He didn't hesitate. "Yes. I do. I absolutely do. I don't know that I'll ever get used to the idea, but I've been taking care of you for a hundred and twenty years. You're my Nanao-chan - my one-and-only, very special, spectacularly brilliant and amazingly talented, fantastically super, cherished, unique, precious, precious, _precious_ kawaii Nanao-chan. If this is how it has to be, then I'll accept it and do whatever it takes in order to fit into your life. You're simply too important to me. I can't promise I'll make a great father," he said, nearly gagging on the word - Nanao even snickered - "but I'll try my best. I owe you that."

A smile eased onto Nanao's face, and she got up and turned to stand in front of him. Tentatively, she leaned over and kissed him on the forehead. "Thanks, Papa."

"You better not call me that in front of anybody else," he teased.

Nanao laughed. "Eh, I might let it slip around Ukitake Taicho," she said slyly.

"Mean," he answered, and both of them were happy that their little routine had slipped in to provide a sense of normalcy. Nanao felt like things would be okay between them. As for Shunsui, as disappointed as he was, his vice captain was indeed truly precious to him no matter what; and he didn't want her to be angry with him. Shunsui wasn't sure if he would ever be able to refer to her as his daughter - but he would accept that she had a right to call him Papa, even if it made him feel older than Yama-jii.

Shunsui stood up, deciding that he wanted to put the mess behind him. He wanted to make it clear that they needed to move on. "Listen, Nanao-chan, I've made some bad decisions---"

" 'Some'?" she snarked.

"Okay, okay, I've made a _lot_ of bad decisions. I've put you through a lot, but no matter what anyone tells you, you have _always_ been a good shinigami. I haven't done the best job of pointing that out sometimes, but if there's anything I can do to make it up to you, just name it."

"...There is," she answered.

Shunsui was surprised. He didn't expect her to be prepared to suggest something so soon. Which was stupid of him, really. Nanao-chan was always prepared. "What?"

"Recommend me for captain of the 5th division," she answered, a tiny devilish grin emerging on her face. "After all, it's the division that specializes in kido. I would make the perfect captain."

Shunsui breathed in and out slowly. And here he thought they were done with heavy conversations for the day. "Well, you need bankai first, Nanao-chan, you know th---"

A dark, ominous smile spread across Nanao's face as her hair bleached white and a gigantic, creepy orange haze began to surround her, visibly startling Kyoraku. She normally didn't do the whole-body-haze thing, and her shinigami reiatsu was typically red. That, and the fact that the flare was _freakishly **enormous.**_

"_...th-th-that_," he stuttered, finishing the end of his sentence that was cut short by her burst of spiritual pressure. It was _astonishing_ how intense it was - he felt like a flea being caught under a tidal wave, and he was a remarkably powerful captain from among the pure-blooded noble lines. For him to feel like he was drowning in her pressure was _completely_ unexpected.

_"Oh, I'm pretty sure your niece will be happy to tell you it isn't a problem."_

-:-

Ichigo, Rukia, and Karin arrived home to find Yuzu waiting for them. Hugs were exchanged; Yuzu was overjoyed. She had cooked up a feast to celebrate Rukia's return, and it was not to be missed.

Rukia was no longer going to be allowed to live in the real world most of the time. Her offensive capabilities were too strong to justify allowing her to be on basic hollow duty. At the moment, there was some concern about arrancar left over from the Winter War that were coming out of hiding, and she was a likely candidate for the extermination team.

However, Nii-sama had negotiated with the Captain-Commander to allow her weekends to be spent in the real world; based on a promise he had made to Yuzu. Yamamoto had been agitated as hell over the request - it required rescheduling the vice-captain's meetings to some other time during the week, and thus a complete rotation of the schedule - but Byakuya had suggested to the Soutaicho that he let Ise Fukutaicho work out the logistics, considering her talents for such things.

Yamamoto ultimately decided that Kuchiki Rukia's morale was too important; she was a very influential officer and was considered the most respected female role model in the Gotei 13. Rukia had been surprised to hear that the Captain-Commander would ever compliment her as such - but Nii-sama said that Yamamoto remembered the impact that Shiba Miyako had on the Gotei 13, and that now that role had been passed on to her. Rukia took the comparison as the highest praise anyone had ever given her. Never in a million years did she ever think she could stand toe-to-toe with Miyako-dono in any way, and it made her feel intensely proud.

Ichigo quietly grumbled a bit about the arrangement, but it was better than going weeks on end - or even months - without seeing her. Although, now that he thought about it, it would be far easier to focus on school if she wasn't around. Besides, for the first time, she could come with him to see Chad's band play on Friday nights. Again, it wasn't his ideal, but Ichigo figured he would try to focus on the positives and just make the best of it.

He was at least grateful that they were allowed a ten-day honeymoon in the real world; although it wasn't exactly going to be exotic. Although she would be tagging along, he still had school; and unlike Orihime or Chad, Ichigo had family around. Ichigo was pretty sure it was going to be no different from when before he proposed, considering that so few people really knew that they were married. Actually, technically speaking, in this world, they weren't married at all. That would likely be difficult, of course. Rukia couldn't exactly present a birth certificate for them to get a marriage license.

They finished eating when Yuzu announced she had a surprise for them. "You guys are going to be so excited!"

Isshin laughed, as though he was in on the joke.

"Why? What is it?" Rukia asked. Isshin laughing was not a good sign.

"Follow me!" Yuzu bubbled enthusiastically, dragging Rukia and Ichigo up the stairs. Karin followed along. She had no idea what Yuzu was going to show them, but she was extremely curious.

Yuzu pulled Ichigo and Rukia into his room. Karin's mouth popped open in astonishment, and then she burst out laughing.

Ichigo finally shut his slack-jawed mouth. "Um, Yuzu-chan - this is... awkward."

His auburn-haired little sister bounced up and down on the new queen-size bed in Ichigo's room, clearly intended for him to share with Rukia. Two sets of pillows were resting at the head - one set of Ichigo's rich blue pillows, and the other set were clearly Rukia's - pink pillowcases with pictures of Chappy on them.

"Yuzu-chan," Rukia gulped. "Eh, uh, why are my pillows here?"

"Otousan explained everything to me!"

_"Everything?"_ the newlyweds coughed together.

"Mm-hmm. He explained to me all about how he and Byakuya-san, with your agreement, set up an arranged marriage; and that you're going to get married when Ichigo finishes college, and all that stuff. So we decided it was wrong to keep you guys in separate rooms anymore. Besides, there's more space for Rukia in here, anyway."

Rukia and Ichigo had a silent conversation, each of them unsure as to whether or not they wanted to kill Isshin or be eternally grateful to him.

"Um, Yuzu-chan," Ichigo began awkwardly, "uh, you're okay with this? You, uh, do know what... sharing a bed means?" _Oh dear god I cannot believe I am having this conversation with Yuzu._

"I'm no dummy!" she responded, deeply offended, but then her cheery face returned immediately like a crazy tsundere. "Anyway, it's 8pm now. I'm sure it's your bedtime!" she smiled innocently, so much that Rukia could not believe her sweet sister Yuzu had just hurled out a _massive_ sexual innuendo.

Yuzu gave them one last innocent smile, along with a giggle, and then _very_ melodramatically closed the door. Behind her, Karin was rolling on the floor, laughing so hard she couldn't breathe. "How the hell did you get Dad to tell you _that_?"

Yuzu smiled proudly. "I spiked Otousan's orange juice when he came back from his morning jog. He drank the whole bottle in one gulp. Once I got him smashed, he 'fessed up pretty quick."

"Wait - what exactly did he tell you?"

Yuzu winked. "Everything."

"What do you mean, _'everything'_!"

Yuzu folded her arms and gave her twin a mock huff. "Hey, I'm allowed some secrets, too," she answered vaguely. "C'mon, Oneechan. Let's leave them be," she chastised lightly, and then stopped for a moment. "Hey, Karin-chan, what's that on your neck?"

Karin's hand instantly covered up the hickey Toshiro had given her. "N-n-nothing," she answered, but Yuzu wasn't buying it.

Yuzu grabbed her by the hand and started dragging her down the stairs angrily. "No way, you're telling me every last detail! Oniichan and Rukia-neechan can pretend to keep secrets from me, but you're not getting away so easily!"

Karin groaned. How come Ichi-nii always got the free pass?

* * *

_"Love is complicated. It never resembles the naive tales one reads about in even the best of stories."_  
_~Kuchiki Rukia to Ukitake Jushiro,_  
_one of the last scenes in "Save This For Kuchiki"_

**_Fate's Curtain closes and the stage goes dark, for here endeth Act IV._**

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___Next chapter: The Epilogue. Can you believe it? The End! The trilogy is almost over! OH NO! WHATEVER SHALL I DO? Er, ahem. Excuse me. Megalomaniacal ego getting in the way, sorry._

_**Leave those reviews! **I'm pretty sure I will wrap up all the remaining questions that I intend to answer in the epilogue, but now is the time to tell me what you want to know before the last page is written! So don't skimp out - review now, or you may never end up knowing the answers to your questions!_


	45. Perhaps Happy Endings Really Do Exist

**Disclaimer: ** I don't own Bleach.

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_**EPILOGUE**_

_Several months later_

Rukia stood proudly on the podium. Promotion day was exciting. There was heavy turnover today, so there was lots and lots of things to be happy about.

Ise Nanao was the biggest event of the day, proudly donning a blue haori (she didn't do capes) and taking her place on the podium next to General Yamamoto. She had been promoted to Head of the Kido Corps, effectively giving her the rank of Major General. Tanabi's former lieutenant had quibbled a bit, complaining that maybe he deserved the job, but it wasn't even a question who would get the position. After Nanao demonstrated her talents in a new branch of kido called bahido, it was clear to everyone that she was by far the most superb candidate. Besides, Tanabi's former lieutenant didn't have bankai like Nanao did now.

When exactly Nanao had achieved bankai, Rukia had no idea; nor did she know anything about what it did. All her friend would tell her was that Banzo Tanabi had helped her before he vanished from the face of the earth. Rukia suspected that Nanao had something to do with his disappearance the day she and Ichigo got married; but as far as Rukia was concerned, getting rid of that asshole made for an awesome wedding present.

Things between Nanao and Kyoraku had gotten tenuous for a while, but Rukia supposed it had to do with revelations about how Nanao had received her vice captain's badge. Nanao had done a lot of venting to Rukia, and she had learned all about how Kyoraku had promoted her out of combat "to keep her safe". The moment Rukia heard that, she knew Nanao must have been really pissed. Nothing affronted Nanao more than to suggest she wasn't worthy of something, but it was hard for Nanao to stay mad at Kyoraku for long; so things were better now.

Interestingly, Rukia noticed that she now insisted on calling Kyoraku Taicho 'Papa' outside of the office. This had confused Rukia a bit - previously, Nanao had always acknowledged his role in her life in more subtle ways than that - but her friend seemed to be more comfortable with it now. Nanao, who had a highly secretive personality in general, would only share her thoughts in a roundabout fashion, even though Rukia knew all about the one time Nanao and Kyoraku had shared an evening. When Rukia would press her, Nanao would just thank Rukia for setting a good example; citing the fact that Rukia called her brother 'Nii-sama' instead of 'Kuchiki Taicho' like everyone else did. Rukia didn't exactly buy that excuse, but she figured Nanao would explain it to her when she was ready.

Of course, as secretive as Nanao was, she would share obscure tidbits with Rukia. Although Nanao refused to tell her the details, supposedly Nanao got Kyoraku's niece to berate him silly for being so overprotective. It sounded bizarre, and Rukia thought it seemed more than a bit random, but Isane Fukutaicho had told her the best way to show Nanao you cared was not to ask questions. Rukia agreed that it was good advice, having independently reached the same conclusion herself a long time ago.

Eventually, though, some good came out of that mess. After that conversation with Kyoraku's niece (as weird as that sounded), he had decided to recommend her promotion to captain of the 5th division - but the Soutaicho declined after seeing Nanao's bankai. Supposedly, Nanao had been hiding a wealth of reiatsu that rivaled even Rukia's zotokai; rumors had it that even the Soutaicho was surprised by what she was capable of. So instead, Yamamoto had gone straight to Central 46 and recommended her promotion to lead the Kido Corps, citing that it would be valuable to have its leader be a former member of the Gotei 13 so that the two organizations would interoperate better.

Nanao was originally leery of the offer; worried that it was another desk-job promotion - especially since Nanao didn't have the greatest relationship with the Soutaicho to begin with. Immediately after Central 46 had agreed to Yamamoto's proposal, though, the Captain-Commander sent Nanao on an arrancar hunt with Byakuya, Ichihime, Rukia, Kiyone, Zaraki, and Yachiru to El Salvador. Reports said that there had been over fifty arrancar there, hiding in a desert enclave. Included amongst them was a former Espada, who was supposed to be captured alive. Espada or not, arrancar were still beyond the abilities of most shinigami; so General Yamamoto mobilized this expanded front-line unit to deliberately test the offensive capabilities of Kiyone, Nanao, and Ichihime; supported by the others who already had Espada-level experience.

The arrancar dispatch team had been surprised with what they found. First, the reports had underestimated the number of arrancar. They turned out to be much closer to seventy in number, although they had all been Numeros and Fraccion level. The more interesting discovery, though, was that their assignment turned out to be a rescue mission. The former espada that the reports had mentioned was none other than the childish Nel Tu, an Espada rebel that had been held captive by the others. Nel was so excited to see shinigami - especially Yachiru, whom she recognized - that she visibly cheered and begged them to take her far away from the other "meanies".

Nel ended up being taken back to 12th division lockup, where she readily submitted. Rukia went to visit every now and then, since Nel would always ask about how "Itsygo" was doing and remark about how living with shinigami "was the good life". Rukia always got a good laugh out of it. She had no idea what the Gotei 13 were going to do to Nel for the long term - after all, she was still a hollow - but for right now, she seemed to be happy.

Overall, the mission had been an overwhelming success. Kiyone was excited to use her bankai again (Rukia was able to appreciate it a lot more now that Masticora wasn't trying to eat her alive), Ichihime found that detonating arrancar was rather therapeutic, and Nanao picked off her opponents with kido like she was swatting flies. Even Nii-sama seemed impressed with the three of them - he didn't even have to fight at all.

It was Nanao's first combat mission in over fifty years, and she had a ton of fun kicking ass - and boy, did she kick a lot of it. The things Nanao could do with kido were insane - Rukia had never seen anything like it before. Nanao could chain _Hado #92: Death Cannon_ like a machine gun - and Nanao could make mask them with a fused _Bakudo #26: Bending Light_, too! How the hell can someone do that!

Even Momo-chan would have been floored. Rukia's kido was good, and as flawless as her chaining was, kido fusion was still very difficult for her. She could infuse a _Bakudo #4: Crawling Rope_ with a _Hado #11: Bound Lightning_, but it was a far cry from what Hinamori could do; combining multiple spells to produce exponentially powerful effects. Of course, Momo was widely known to have been the pioneer of the art, so it was understandable that she was better at it - but Nanao took it to a whole new level. Rukia saw Nanao fuse a _Bakudo #73: Inverse Mountain Crystal_ with a _Hado #71: Lava Blast_ and a _Bakudo #86: Implosion _to add the pressure. In effect, Nanao created an exploding volcano right underneath an entire unit of arrancar - with the snap of her fingers, she took out six arrancar at once. Rukia couldn't even think of combining spells like that, much less pull it off.

It was truly an amazing thing to witness. Rukia wondered why Nanao had been held out of combat for so long; she was an absolute monster on the battlefield. At some point, arrancar began running away from her, preferring to take their chances with Zaraki rather than tango with the self-nicknamed "Shinigami from Hell." Rukia didn't get why Nanao employed such an unusual title, but she didn't ask. She just assumed Nanao liked it because it made her seem fearsome.

Nanao came back so revved up from the trip to El Salvador that she accepted the Kido Corps position on condition that she would get to go on more missions from now on. The Soutaicho heartily endorsed Nanao's condition, and in appreciation, Nanao promised to coordinate the Kido Corps with the Gotei 13 more closely than they had before. Central 46 even seemed to be pleased, which everyone agreed was a first. Central 46 was never pleased about anything. Since then, Rukia had loads of fun teasing Nanao about how she had shot past her dream to become a captain, calling her 'Shosho-neechan' whenever she could. Nanao loved it.

Shuhei would tease Nanao that since she and Rukia were practically sisters, she shouldn't have been so surprised that Hisagi mistook her for a Kuchiki. (It was still a running gag between them.) They were a fun couple - he really seemed to like her, and even though Nanao did not easily build attachments to other people, he was patient. Shuhei proved to be a dedicated guy and a bit of a softie, because Nanao only had good things to say about him. Of couse, that meant Rukia heard a bit too much out of her girlfriend's mouth, but she was happy for her. Until recently, Nanao had an emotionally turbulent life; and it was good to see it finally working out. Hisagi was even throwing the post-ceremony party to celebrate.

In Rukia's mind, her pal Ise Nanao had managed to find everything she was looking for - the guy, the job, and peace with herself. Perhaps happy endings really do exist, Rukia thought. Of course, if she ever quoted that saccharine line to Nanao, it would likely make her vomit; if not zap Rukia's bottom with a low-grade _Hado #4._

Former captain Shiba Kuukaku, who would be marrying Nii-sama in a month, was the person who ended up ascending to the 5th division captain's seat. Rukia couldn't believe it, but she actually saw Nii-sama smile when he was with her. Rukia had always thought Byakuya needed some companionship, but she didn't expect it to go anywhere serious when she set him up on a blind date with Shiba Kuukaku. And for them to get married? Rukia could barely believe it. Somehow, though, Kuukaku had cracked him open and gotten inside that hard shell of his. The servants couldn't believe it either, but they all liked Kuukaku very much; and not only because Nii-sama had given all of the manor's staff a generous raise when they got engaged.

Nanao was also surprised, although less than Rukia was. Nonetheless, she gladly offered to plan the wedding. Rukia could tell that Nii-sama had been relieved when he heard that, as he happily took her up on it. After that, Tori-san even casually suggested to Rukia that considering all Nanao did for the Kuchiki family, maybe it was time they adopted her into the family, too. Rukia didn't think Nii-sama nor Nanao would be too keen to that idea; but it was evident that Nanao was welcome in Kuchiki Manor whenever she wished.

It had taken time, but Rukia could tell that Nii-sama really, really loved Kuukaku. Whenever she would come for dinner (which was often now), Nii-sama and her would sit in the memorial shrine together afterwards, often holding hands. Byakuya had even let her place a wedding picture of Kaien and Miyako next to Hisana's picture. Sometimes, Rukia would see them chat there for hours. Other times, they would sit in companiable silence together. It didn't matter to Rukia, though. Nii-sama had let Kuukaku inside, and he was much more happy with himself than he had ever been before. Rukia wondered if this was what Nii-sama had been like when Hisana was still alive. It was obvious to Rukia how her late sister could have loved him so much if he had been like this; caring and attentive and personable.

Rukia would frequently find them sitting in the orchards, underneath a plum or peach tree. Byakuya would often pick a piece of fruit, and the two would share it amidst quiet conversation; occasionally interrupted by Kuukaku laughing loudly. Once, Rukia even heard Byakuya laugh, but she was pretty sure he wouldn't have wanted her to see that.

Byakuya talked to Rukia a lot more now. A _lot_ more - he had really opened up a lot now that he was so much happier. He spent time with her, reviewing the Kuchiki family heritage and sharing many of the House secrets with her. Rukia had previously learnt much about the family heritage from Tori; but it had been wonderful to hear her brother's take on things.

He even sparred with her every now and then, teaching her techniques that Jii-sama had taught him. Nii-sama even helped Rukia refine her flash-step technique. Even though Rukia's shunpo was fairly good for a vice captain, she had never had an actual shunpo mentor before. Receiving training from Nii-sama was a deeply rewarding experience, not just because of what he could teach her, but because it gave them a means for them to continue healing together from the conflict-laden origin of their familial relationship.

Rukia's favorite moments, though, were when Nii-sama would quietly request her to bring back more of Yuzu's cookies from her weekend visits. In exchange, Byakuya was secretly preparing a hand-written, leather-bound book of the Kurosaki Family Recipes, complete in masterful caligraphy and spectacular artwork. He even wrote an extended dedication himself, explicitly crediting Yuzu for her incredible talents. Rukia knew Yuzu was going to love it, especially since she never would have expected it. The enthusiastic chef was always happy to bake Byakuya cookies; she hoped it would convince him to come and visit.

Ichigo was never allowed to know about his little arrangement, though. If he ever found out, Nii-sama would never hear the end of it. Kuukaku already teased Byakuya enough about it, but Byakuya couldn't keep _anything_ a secret from her, so he endured her playful commentary.

Tori-san had informed Rukia that Senbonzakura and Firefly made for a really funny pair. The servants would hang both sheathed swords on a sword rack in the foyer when Kuukaku would come for dinner, so that they could sit down in peace. When it was time for Kuukaku to leave, though, the manor staff often found the two empty scabbards on the rack with the unbladed hilts on the floor; Senbonzakura's tiny little cherry-blossom-blades flying around the room like a cyclone on fire. One of the waitress servants, Satara, always panicked about this; worried that Byakuya-sama would be upset (or that Firefly would burn down the mansion); but would always saw the same reaction: Kuukaku would laugh, Byakuya would sigh, and the swords would revert back to their sealed state, seemingly embarassed at being caught.

Rukia found the whole thing beyond funny. She understood it perfectly from her own personal experience. Whenever Ichigo came to sleep in Soul Society (which was uncommon), Zangetsu and Sode no Shirayuki's ribbons were often found tied in a knot, covered in frost. This happened even though Rukia always left her katana in its sealed state while sheathed, so she could relate to Satara's confusion over finding their swords spontaneously released.

She was thrilled for the two of them. Nii-sama and Kuukaku-dono seemed so happy. Rukia had joked about it with Ichihime: the wedding would have the two of them (and Ganju!) officiating as Heads of House. Weird. Who would be the bridesmaids and groomsmen? they both wondered.

Rukia would have felt bad for Momo, who lost an opportunity to earn the haori she had really deserved to wear during her long stint as acting captain. But Hinamori herself seemed too relieved for Rukia to be upset. She finally wouldn't have to do everything herself, and it gave her more free time to spend with Kira Fukutaicho. Rukia could totally relate.

Urahara Kisuke was restored to 12th division captain, although no lieutenant was named. Yoruichi seemed to be indifferent to returning to Soul Society, and chose to continue staying in retirement - although she still departed for the real world every now and then whenever Urahara or Soifon drove her crazy. Which, according to Ichigo, seemed to be pretty often. On more than one occasion, Ishida griped to him about his evening plans being spoiled when Yoruichi would crash at Orihime's place. Rukia wasn't sure how Yoruichi dealt with the food, but then again, perhaps it was easier to suffer through it if you were a cat.

Banzo Ichihime finally got her 6th division vice captain badge, although having been acting lieutenant for so long, it was more of a formality. Rukia laughed as Renji whistled a catcall when Sasakibe tied it on. Unlike most lieutenants, Ichihime wanted her badge to be tied across her back, as though she symbolically wanted it to cover where she would have worn the Banzo family crest. Since the disappearance of her father and her ascent to the role of Head of House, though, Ichihime had toned down a little bit. She was making lots of changes to the House of Banzo, and Rukia was glad to see that she could repair the damage her father did and craft her own destiny.

Rukia was thrilled to see her friends and family receive their due honor on promotion day, but as much as Nanao's promotion excited her to no end, the last two promotions among the elite echelon were the ones that Rukia waited for the most.

The 13th division cheered louder than anyone could have imagined as Kotetsu Kiyone took Ise Nanao's old post as 8th division vice captain, and Rukia could see a warm smile on her captain's face. Since Kiyone was living with Ukitake back at the Ugendo estate anyway, remaining in the 13th wasn't as important to Kiyone as it used to be. Kotsubaki was happy, too; he finally had a chance to step out from under her shadow and serve as the sole 3rd Seat for a change.

Komamura-sensei and Unohana Taicho had informed Rukia that Ukitake was going to propose sometime soon. Rukia had deduced as much but was happy to hear it from the cute couple. Unless Rukia's eyes were deceiving her, Unohana was pregnant - boy, that was _fast_ - but when Rukia mentioned as much to her captain, Ukitake had shrugged it off. Unohana was old enough that bearing children was somewhat of a more expedient concern for her; and from what Nanao told her, Unohana Retsu was a very open-minded woman. Rukia was certainly glad for that; it was nice to see Komamura-sensei with a companion. She was absolutely sure he would make a wonderful father, although like everyone else, she was intensely curious as to what exactly the baby would look like. Unless Rukia was completely misreading the situation, it seemed that even the Soutaicho was curious; which was surprising since he was not known to have any interest in children.

Rukia was proud of Kiyone. She had come a long way from the insecure, raving kid she once was. She was still impulsive and melodramatic, but she had matured quite a lot. The fact that her Kotetsu genes had finally kicked in probably helped - she had shot up an astounding three inches since the wedding.

At 5'3", she was still a far cry from her sister's height, but Kiyone was now at least a full head taller than Rukia. Her height was not the only recent change to her physique: Kiyone still wore gloves all the time - safeguards against the stinging bite of her shikai - but had abandoned the high-collared shirt. She was infinitely more tasteful than Matsumoto, but it was very clear that Kiyone no longer had reason to be envious of Isane's figure. Rukia had even caught Ukitake-sama staring a couple of times - she thought they made a highly unusual couple, but Rukia was glad that they had finally figured it out. It was about bloody time.

Rukia was not surprised that Kyoraku Shunsui was willing to take Kiyone on as a vice captain. Ukitake Taicho probably convinced him. Kyoraku had been a bit crestfallen since his kawaii Nanao-chan had decided he was no longer date material, but not too many people were sympathetic. He had no shortage of other women banging down his door. In fact, Ukitake probably argued that it was good for Kyoraku to work with someone who he knew he couldn't sleep with; although Rukia dared not repeat this theory, even to her husband.

"Here she comes," Ichigo said, standing next to her.

"Candidate for Lieutenant Representative, Kurosaki Karin!" the announcer had called out.

General Yamamoto had finally decided to create an official division under Kurosaki Ichigo. It wasn't numbered, but it encompassed all spiritually-aware humans that fought alongside the Gotei 13. Ichigo was officially given the status of Captain, seeing as how he was long overdue for the title anyway. They even gave him a haori, although his was black instead of white for some reason. At first, Ichigo didn't like the idea; but after Rukia explained to him that it gave him an excuse to come into Soul Society every now and then, he acquiesced. It would mean he could spend more time with his wife.

Typical male, Rukia smirked. Wave the prospect of more sex in front of their face, and you can get them to do anything.

After returning home from the wedding, Karin insisted that she wanted to become a shinigami. Rukia was eventually able to convince Ichigo that if he didn't allow it, she was going to find a way to do it on her own; so Ichigo relented. Ichigo was surprised that when he first whacked her with his badge, she popped out with a red ribbon right away. Even more interesting, Karin was the first shinigami since Captains Ukitake and Kyoraku to have a daisho sword pair for a zanpakutou, although it was more like a short kodachi/tachi pair than full swords.

Seeing as how she was the only other shinigami officially in Division Black (the title chosen for lack of a better name), Karin was automatically given the rank of lieutenant. That being said, she had an impressive history of killing hollows without so much as even a sword. Kurosaki Karin wasn't exactly a pansy. As much as she still needed an extensive amount of training - she hadn't achieved shikai for either of her blades yet; a requirement for lieutenancy in the standard 13 divisions - giving her the rank of vice captain wasn't so far-fetched. She had figured out shunpo entirely on her own, and she was reasonably fast for someone who had just picked up the skill. The fact that she hadn't yet hit her thirteenth birthday left most people realizing that it wouldn't be long before Karin was just as scary in battle as her older brother.

"Kurosaki Karin," General Yamamoto announced, "you have been examined by your captain, and he has found that you meet all the requirements of a vice captain's position. Do you feel his assessment is fair and just?"

"Hai," Karin responded, loud and clear.

"Do you swear to honor the Gotei 13, protect the the World of the Living, and all souls?"

"Hai," she confirmed again.

"Do you swear to purify the hollow so that the balance of all living things in this world and on earth may be maintained for all eternity?"

"Hai!"

"And do you promise to serve your captain and your squad with honor, dignity, and righteousness?"

_"Hai,_ I swear by the honor of my name and the honor of my sword, _I shall!"_

Rukia remembered making that oath. It was what she chose to write on the inside of Ichihime's badge, too; knowing that Ichihime had to learn to feel comfortable with both kinds of honor. Now, though, that oath weighed heavily on Rukia's mind as she contemplated that Karin was committing to a life filled with trouble. She couldn't help but feel responsible - she had brought Karin into this life the moment she had taken Ichigo into the world of the shinigami. On the other hand, Rukia didn't think life would have turned out as wonderful as it had if not for that fateful day. Which, in truth, was only a consequence of even earlier events. Fate was funny that way - you never knew when something really ended or began. It was all just a series of interwoven threads that ultimately combined to create the fabric known as Destiny.

Not surprisingly, no one presented a challenge; so Yamamoto concluded. "Arise, Lieutenant Representative Kurosaki Karin, and don your badge, so that all shall know your strength."

Rukia and Ichigo cheered as Sasakibe tied a Substitute Shinigami badge to her uniform's sash, similar to the one that Ichigo had. Before Karin took her place next to Ichigo, though, she startled Hitsugaya by grabbing his collar and planting a big, dramatic kiss on his mouth. Toshiro blushed, and his fukutaicho snickered endlessly. Only then did Karin stand next to her brother and sister.

"That took guts," Ichigo teased.

"Meh, I learned it from my brother. If he can propose in front of the Soutaicho, I can get away with a kiss."

Rukia rolled her eyes. That crazy Kurosaki family, she laughed to herself. "So that's what you call 'sword practice', huh?"

Karin stuck her tongue out at her older sister.

After the upper echelons, the seated officer promotions were next. Rukia found it amusing that for the second time, she waited for Yamada Hanataro to be promoted. This time, it was from the sixth seat to the fifth seat; finally making it into the ranks of division leadership. For him, it was a major promotion. Although this time around, Rukia actually knew why he deserved it: Hanataro had become a completely different shinigami since he had started dating Isane, and was considered a rising star in the fourth division.

Of course, this didn't surprise her. Hanataro had finally become comfortable with himself, and Rukia likely attributed it to his unwavering devotion to Isane. All he wanted to do was make her smile, so he worked extra hard so that she could be proud of him. Isane was nuts about Hanataro. She said that he made her feel like the most important person in the world.

Rukia knew this because Isane talked about it with her one day when she came to the Kuchiki estate one evening to get a book. Nanao had informed Isane that she had lent 'Everything You Wanted To Know About Sex But Were Afraid To Ask' to Rukia a while back. Rukia had to do everything she could to suppress a shocked _what-did-you-just-ask-me-for-!_ expression. The thought of Hanataro sleeping with _anyone_ seemed absurd, but Rukia didn't want to embarass Isane. Instead, she thought of Nii-sama and Komamura-sensei and realized that there must be somebody for everyone. Given this thought, Rukia was more than happy to give over the book to the bashful lieutenant.

After all, Rukia certainly didn't need it anymore.

-:-

_THE END._

-:-

Kotsubaki's phone beeped as he got a text message. He groaned, knowing what it was before he even flipped open his phone to confirm it. How in the world he ended up in this mess, he had no idea. Fate was such a bitch. Sentaro quickly called his pal, 9th seat Mushishi Kunda.

"Another booty call from the 2nd division captain? What's that, the third time this week?" came the other end with a snicker.

Kotsubaki swore. Ignoring Soifon Taicho's request was a fate much worse than waking up clueless, hanging upside-down from a lamp post with half of his head shaven off. "Come find me in the morning. And bring me a change of clothes this time, okay?"

-:-

_THE END. FOR REAL._

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_Thanks for all the love, folks! Please leave reviews for posterity. It's been fun, but all good things must come to an end. All of that being said: _

_**Didn't get enough? Wondering how you're going to live without more? WELL, THERE WILL BE MORE! **_

_Due to popular request, I am in the process of storyboarding a follow-on tale - possibly even a trilogy, set several years after the Kuchiki Salvation Trilogy. So leave those reviews as encouragement! Especially all you lurkers who have been reading without providing reviews! ;)  
A teaser follows below - THANKS FOR READING! IT'S BEEN A BLAST! -njx_

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Excalibur. Masamune. Durendal. Even the Lightsaber.

Legendary swords and weapons whose might and power were so influential throughout the annals of history that their names became famous even amongst the human race. They are the blades that won wars, defeated evil, restored sovereignty to kingdoms, and entertained millions.

But that's because they weren't just swords.

Zanpakutou were supposed to be gifts from Fate to the Shinigami. They exist so that lost souls could be sent to the afterlife. They were not intended to ever fall into the hands of mankind - because the moment humans even _saw_ one, Fate was irrevocably changed.

Yet, perhaps the powers of Excalibur or Durendal in the hands of mankind were not disastrous. As far as zanpakutou were concerned, they were honestly humble weapons by comparison. Certainly, they were capable of abilities well beyond that of a mortal's hand-crafted, lifeless sword; but not weapons so dangerous that they could alter the fabric of humanity.

What would happen, though, if a sword like Aizen's Kyouka Suigetsu fell into the hands of man? Would mankind ever be able to survive its influence?

Or would all of the world be torn to shreds?

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_Stay tuned - you'll never see a battle bigger than this! The nonstop, heart-pounding action will keep you on the edge of your seat in the next tale: **THE BLADES OF EPSILON!**_

_COMING SOON! (probably not soon enough for you, but hey - great tales aren't written overnight, right? ;D) -njx_


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